Academic Fraud
by Vietta
Summary: Students shouldn't get romantically involved with their professors, but at Shinra University that sort of taboo relationship is the trendy thing! AU Yaoi: For SignedWithAnEcks
1. Chapter 1

The scratching of pencils echoed in the room behind him as he carved dusty yellow lines onto the chalkboard in front of him, the yellow dust drifting off of his fingers and staining his cuff. Words poured from his mouth in a near ceaseless river and the students behind him drank in the bitter tales of history like unsweetened syrup, pouring his knowledge onto their papers to be forgotten once a test was lying in front of them. The history of the world was Sephiroth's favorite subject, and what his classes all centered around. Every class was a story and every story flowed into another. Sephiroth loved to dictate the story he told now; the one concerning the ancient Cetra and their hazardous change from nomads to city-dwellers. The decision had ultimately wiped out the movement oriented race and now all that was left of them were the stories that flowed from his mouth.

He paused in his lecture long enough to look at the clock, catching movement in his eyes that wasn't the expected sway of pens and pencils. He caught the paper airplane with practiced ease and tossed it back to the student he knew was the culprit, grinning as it struck the attractive red-head on the nose. "Get back to work, Reno."

Reno's fellow classmates laughed as he rubbed his nose, their interest piqued by the attempt to catch their professor off guard. He tried to do so often, and Sephiroth always managed to catch his paper creations. Reno frowned and stuffed the wrinkled paper into his bag, glaring at the black-haired boy sitting beside him who made a grab for it. "Hands off, Rodney!"

Rodney chuckled and tugged Reno's ponytail with a playful grin. "Hell no!"

Reno growled and slapped Rodney's hand away, "Hell yes!"

Rodney grinned and opened his mouth to continue the verbal war, but Sephiroth interrupted him by walking between them. "If the damned plane is going to cause this much trouble give it back. I'll keep it and consider it a late birthday present since it's so special."

Reno blushed crimson and pulled the paper out of his bag, handing it to Sephiroth with a sheepish grin. "Happy birthday?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes and walked back to the front of the class, pretending he didn't notice the snickering of his students as he tossed the paper onto his desk and resumed his lecture. Reno and Rodney continued to bicker quietly behind him and he found his concentration slipping. What was it about a damned piece of paper that always made those two start fighting? He whipped around and faced the class, hands on his hips. "The next person to talk will lose fifty points on their final test! Since that test counts for almost half your grade I suggest you keep your mouths shut! Those of you who need this class for your major should think twice about breathing loudly!" He shot Reno and Rodney a pointed glare and was slightly surprised to see Rodney returning that glare. He held Rodney's gaze for a few moments and then looked at Reno, noticing the bright color that had bloomed across Reno's cheeks with confusion.

Sephiroth dismissed his class soon after his outburst, upset by the repeated disruptions. He normally didn't mind Reno's antics, but when Rodney joined in it was hard for him to feign tolerance or ignorance. Reno's disruptions were repeated at least once a week and Sephiroth was so used to them that they failed to faze him. Rodney, however, always seemed to want to cause trouble. He sighed and started packing his briefcase as the class filed out, dropping a few un-graded papers on the floor. He grumbled softly and bent down to pick them up, jumping as a small cough sounded near his desk. He swore quietly as he hit his head on the bottom of his desk and he heard a small and easily distinguished snort of laughter. He straightened and looked at Reno with a small frown. "You're still here? I dismissed class, Reno."

Reno blushed and cleared his throat, holding out a hand and lowering his face in embarrassment. "Can I have my plane back?"

Sephiroth blinked and looked his desk over for the plane he knew he had left there. "Why do you keep throwing these at me?"

Reno kept his face down and his hand out, answering with a small, nervous chuckle. "No reason."

Sephiroth frowned as he located the crumpled airplane, noticing for the first time that there were small scribbles inside the paper. "It would be more efficient if you would tell me you're bored instead of writing it down and tossing the message at my head. Paper airplanes are made to be thrown, not read."

Reno's face flushed darker and he grabbed at the airplane, "Don't read it!" Sephiroth pulled the paper back with a frown and gave Reno a piercing stare. Reno's eyes were wide and pleading as he tried to snatch the paper away from Sephiroth. "Please Professor don't read it! It's embarrassing!"

Sephiroth frowned and set a hand on Reno's chest, pushing him back as he single-handedly unfolded the airplane. "I think I should read it then. It might teach you to stop throwing your secrets at me. If you didn't want me to read it you shouldn't have thrown it in the first place."

Reno paled as Sephiroth shook the paper out. Sephiroth hadn't looked at the scribbled writing yet and he locked his watery blue eyes onto the sea-green ones above him. "Please Sephiroth don't read it! Give it back and I swear I'll never throw one again!"

Sephiroth chuckled softly and held Reno at arms length as the red-head made another snatch for the paper. "But you're aim is getting so good. Maybe someday I won't be able to-" He stopped mid-sentence as his eyes locked onto the paper. He looked at the words scribbled there and felt color rise on his cheeks. He turned to look at Reno, mouth hanging slightly open, but as soon as his head turned the door had slammed shut. Sephiroth rushed to the door and opened it, scanning the hallway outside for some trace of his student; but Reno was nowhere to be seen. He held the paper in his fist still and he pocketed it as students waved hello to him, ignoring their recognition as he wandered the halls looking for Reno.

Sephiroth was stopped partway down the hall by a paper airplane that hit his ear. In his distracted state he hadn't even noticed the projectile flying towards him, but now he was fully aware of it and he whipped around, expecting to see Reno giggling and running away.

Instead he came face to face with a smirking Rodney. "Distracted Professor?"

Sephiroth picked the plane up and handed it back to Rodney. "Slightly, yes."

Rodney's smirk grew and he shoved the airplane back into Sephiroth's hand. "You're not going to read my note, Professor?"

Sephiroth frowned, doing his best to hide the angry flush that colored his face. "No."

Rodney's eyes glinted maliciously and he snatched the plane back with a derisive snort, "Fine. Don't bother looking for Reno, Professor. He ran off so fast he's probably in another Sector by now." Rodney turned and stalked off, crumpling the plane into his pocket.

Sephiroth frowned and walked back to his classroom, un-fisting the hand in his pocket slowly. He had unconsciously started to crumple the plane and now it was a mashed-up wad in his pocket. He sat in his classroom beside his half-packed briefcase and un-crumpled the piece of paper. He sighed and looked at the paper, mind swirling with confusing thoughts.

He wished Reno hadn't run away. He desperately needed to ask what Reno meant by the words, "I love you." It should have had a straightforward meaning, but he couldn't wrap his stubborn mind around the words.

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Author's Note: So this story is for a deviant on deviant art named SignedWithAnEcks. She requested a Seph/Reno story about school and I couldn't get it all in one chapter, I tried, but a one shot won't work on this. I can't make it cooperate and be a one-shot, so you're getting a full out multi-chaptered story. Congrats for being the first requester to make me need a multi-chaptered story!


	2. Chapter 2

Sephiroth sat, a cup of cold coffee clenched in one hand and a scrap of paper loosely crumpled in the other. Genesis looked at him from across the desk, snapping his fingers in front of his friend's face irritably. Genesis had been flitting in and out of the office for hours and Sephiroth's refusal to speak was treading on his stretched thin nerves. No amount of persuasion could get Sephiroth to do more than look at him, which was something that was abnormal for the man even when he was mad at him. This time Genesis had brought Angeal into the office with him to prod their unhappy colleague into talking. "Sephiroth, answer me!"

Sephiroth sighed and relented, knowing that keeping Genesis at arm's length with Angeal in the room would be more work than he was willing to put effort into. He wanted to sit and stew in his thoughts, but Genesis had been interrupting them since noon and he was so confused that it was pointless for him to think much anyways. "What, Genesis?"

Genesis frowned and set his hands on his hips. He was ecstatic to finally get an answer, but he wasn't going to show it. "You had no excuse for canceling the rest of your classes today, did you?"

Sephiroth clenched the paper in his hand tighter and sipped at his cold coffee, glad that Angeal hadn't been persuaded into harping at him as well. As much as he liked Genesis, Genesis was a pain in the ass to deal with. "It's none of your business, Genesis. Don't you have a class to teach?"

Genesis rolled his eyes, "I popped Loveless into the DVD player so they have something to do while I'm gone. Anyone who stays until I get back gets fifteen points extra credit. I'm pretty sure they'll wait."

Angeal rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe, "Genesis, your students already left and you know it. They hate Loveless. No amount of extra credit would make them sit and watch it."

Genesis rounded on Angeal, "Not all my students hate it and the ones that do don't know what they're missing! Loveless is a timeless piece of art!"

Angeal chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest, "Actually, running time on Loveless is usually about two hours and twenty-eight minutes. Anything longer than that and even you would fall asleep."

Sephiroth chuckled softly as they bickered, pulled away from his confusion by the constant battle between math teacher and English teacher over who's subject made students fall asleep faster. "I'd rather watch Loveless than do quadratic equations, Angeal."

Angeal smiled and ignored Genesis' smug grin. "I haven't assigned any of those in awhile…I should probably throw a few quadratics into my next lesson plan."

Genesis rolled his eyes and turned back to Sephiroth. "Now that you're talking, explain why you've been sitting in your office drinking cold coffee, staring into space, and crumpling up a piece of paper."

Sephiroth sighed and tossed Genesis the golf-ball sized piece of paper. "Figure it out for yourself."

Genesis quickly unfolded the crumpled, slightly torn piece of paper, looking at both sides with a raised eyebrow before looking at Sephiroth. "This is what you've been worried over? A love note?"

Angeal quickly snatched the paper from Genesis' hands and looked at it. "Who gave it to you Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth blinked at their unsurprised reactions, "A student. Have either of you gotten love notes from students before?"

Genesis nodded and sat on the edge of Sephiroth's desk. "Yup, but usually from students who want something from me like better grades or sex."

Angeal chuckled and handed Sephiroth the crinkled paper. "I'm surprised you haven't gotten one yet. I usually get at least one a semester."

Genesis nodded and smiled, "I usually get five a semester. My students hate homework and think free sex will make me give less. They think wrong. No matter how many students sleep with me I still give out shit-loads of homework."

Sephiroth gaped at Genesis in surprise. "You've actually _slept_ with your _students?_"

Genesis nodded and pointed at Angeal accusingly, "Yeah, but he's actually _dating_ one of his!"

Angeal blushed and punched Genesis in the shoulder. "I told you not to tell anyone! Zack and I are trying to keep it a secret so other students won't pick on him the way they pick on Reno!"

Sephiroth blushed softly and Genesis grinned at him, "Oh, so the red-headed trouble maker who's been throwing airplanes at you all semester finally managed to get your attention, hmm? Good grief Sephiroth everyone in the school from the Dean to the students knows the guy likes you."

Angeal punched Genesis again, grinning at the hiss of pain that passed the red-heads lips. "Enough, Genesis. Can't you see it makes him uncomfortable? We need to help him figure out what to do."

Genesis rubbed his arm moodily and glared at Angeal, "It's an easy fix; he needs to get laid."

Sephiroth stood. "No, I need to get lunch. Genesis, go teach your class. Angeal, join me for lunch."

Genesis whined and stood. "Dammit! I don't want to teach my class! All my students do is sit and stare at me! Only a few of them actually give a damn about literature and grammar!"

Angeal pushed Genesis to the door gently, "Then go teach the few who give a damn."

Genesis grumbled and walked out of Sephiroth's office, hands in his pockets and a pouty scowl on his face. Angeal chuckled and straightened the cuffs of his shirt. "Coming, Sephiroth? We can go to a diner I know in Sector One. They have better coffee than what you're drinking."

Sephiroth nodded and tossed his Styrofoam cup full of cold sludge into his waste basket before shrugging on his own jacket. "Sounds good. You'll have to tell me about this Zack person by the way. I'm not sure I know who he is."

Angeal laughed and lead Sephiroth out of the building. "You should know him; he's failed your class three times."

Sephiroth chuckled and followed Angeal, watching the students they passed for a familiar shock of red-hair that he knew wouldn't be dancing amongst the browns, yellows, and occasionally greens. Sephiroth couldn't understand why some students wanted to look like they'd rubbed their head on the ground for hours. Muddy green just didn't seem like a good hair color choice to him. "Ah, that Zack. Tell him that if he remembered to keep his eyes open during class he might be able to pass the tests."

Angeal chuckled and nodded. "I'll make sure I tell him. Also, make sure you don't tell anyone else about us. It's a secret and it's going to stay that way until he transfers or graduates."

Sephiroth nodded as they strode out of the college and onto the tree and student filled campus. "Aren't you worried about more than him getting teased? Can't you get fired for having a relationship like that with a student?"

Angeal chuckled and shook his head. "No. Rufus wouldn't fire anyone for that when he's involved with every female student who wants to graduate on her back. It's only when it becomes a public matter that gets the school board involved that he does anything. Remember when Professor Corneo got that student pregnant?"

Sephiroth nodded and watched the unruly wind toss dead leaves across the campus. "Yes. He was fired, wasn't he?"

Angeal nodded and led Sephiroth off of the Shinra University campus lawn and onto Sector Eights populated streets. "Yes. He was fired and she was expelled, but I heard that he married her and found a teaching job in Junon."

"Who did you hear that from?" Sephiroth followed Angeal, looking around the city without interest.

Angeal smiled and dodged human traffic easily. "Genesis. He and Corneo still talk occasionally. They weren't the best of friends before the scandal, but you know how much Genesis loves good gossip."

Sephiroth chuckled and examined a billboard proclaiming the newest showing of the play Loveless. "He can't help himself. The man loves stories."

Angeal stopped and looked at the billboard with a smile, "What's the bet that Genesis already has tickets to every night of that show?"

Sephiroth laughed and urged Angeal to walk forward with a dismissive sweep of his hand. "What's the point in betting? I know he does. He probably has box seats. Which one of us do you think he'll attempt to drag to it first?"

"I hope it's you." Angeal laughed and resumed navigating through the crowd, searching for the secluded dinner he knew well. Sephiroth seemed normal again, except for the fact that he still had that piece of paper crumpled in his fist. If the man didn't care, he would have thrown it away. Angeal knew that the fact that Sephiroth still held it meant something, and he was determined to figure out what it was. It would take some prodding and careful questioning, but Angeal would pry the answer from Sephiroth eventually.

Sephiroth followed Angeal into the diner and wrinkled his nose at the sight of plastic-seats and metal tabletops. Angeal knew that the silver-haired man was used to far nicer restaurants, but he knew that once he tasted the food here Sephiroth would berate himself for his initial judgment of the place.

Angeal sat and Sephiroth took a chair opposite him, grimacing as the chair creaked under his weight. "Not exactly the nicest place I've ever had lunch at."

Angeal chuckled and set a greasy paper menu in front of Sephiroth. "I can guarantee that it will be the best lunch you've had."

Sephiroth chuckled and hesitantly started perusing the menu, "And if that guarantee falls short?"

Angeal rolled his eyes and motioned at a waiter standing by the bar of the diner to get his attention. "If they don't deliver I promise I won't help you ever again."

Sephiroth blinked and opened his mouth to speak when the waiter, who appeared beside their table far faster than expected, interrupted him impatiently. "Professor, please don't crumple our menus."

Sephiroth blinked and looked at the scrap of paper clutched in his hand, Reno's handwriting hidden inside his palm. "This isn't a menu."

The waiter smiled and pulled out a pad and pencil. "Sorry, Professor. We've been having problems with menu-vandals lately."

Angeal frowned and shook his head, "I don't see any purpose in defiling a menu. How immature can people get?"

The waiter laughed and smiled at Angeal brilliantly, "You know how immature people can get, Angeal. You know me, don't you?"

Angeal grinned at the waiter, "If I didn't know you, Zack, I wouldn't let you call me by my first name, would I?"

Zack shook his head, "Heck no! You're too uptight to let strangers be all nice and first-namey with you. What can I get for you, Professors?"

Sephiroth blinked up at Zack and chuckled softly, "So this is why you chose this restaurant, Angeal?"

Angeal nodded and smiled, "Of course. Good food and better service. What other reasons are there to eat somewhere?"

Zack grinned and tapped his pencil against his notepad, fidgeting with pent up energy from a sudden cease in motion. "Good prices?"

Sephiroth smiled and looked over his menu, "True, Zack. That is important. You know what else is important? Your grades. Angeal and I were talking about it earlier, and you should've mentioned to him that you keep failing my class because you can't stay awake."

Zack blushed furiously and squirmed in his shoes. "I can't stay awake because you can't stay interesting."

Sephiroth laughed and Angeal frowned at Zack, slightly embarrassed yet struggling to keep a smile from replacing his frown, "Zack!"

Zack giggled and drummed his pencil against his notepad, "Sorry, Professor Sephiroth. I mean it, but I don't mean it to hurt."

Sephiroth wiped a tear of mirth from his eye and smiled at Zack kindly. "You've got my respect now. No one bothers to tell me how boring I am anymore. They're usually afraid I'll fail them. But you don't really have to worry about that, do you? You're failing anyways because I'm too damned boring."

Zack grinned and nodded. "Exactly! I'll probably hafta take your class with Professor Lazard instead so I can pass and graduate."

Sephiroth wrinkled his nose, "Lazard doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to History."

Zack grinned, "Neither do I. That makes him a perfect teacher for me. There's more interesting things in his class than Reno and Rodney beating on each other as quietly as they can when they think you aren't paying attention." A cough from behind the bar grabbed Zack's attention and he jumped, blushing softly, "I need to take your orders guys. My boss doesn't like it when I 'fraternize' with the customers." Zack made air-quotes with his fingers and rearranged his face so he wasn't grinning from ear to ear, only cheek to cheek.

Sephiroth chuckled and decided to ignore Zack's comment about Reno, "Genesis taught you a new word?"

Zack shook his head, "Nah, Scarlet did. I'm not lucky enough to have Genesis for a teacher. I got stuck with the big boobied bimbo." Zack jumped again and cleared his throat as Angeal and Sephiroth chuckled at the expense of their coworker, "What would you like to have, sirs?"

Angeal smiled and set the menu behind the napkin dispenser he had pulled it from. "Give me my usual and a mug of coffee."

Sephiroth blinked as Zack scribbled furiously on the pad of paper and then looked at him expectantly. "What's his usual?"

Zack grinned and recited from memory, "A chocobo filet sandwich and fries with extra pickles and ketchup. No mayonnaise."

Sephiroth chuckled and shrugged. "Sounds…tasty? I guess I'll have what he's having."

Zack nodded and ran off, pad of paper clutched tightly in his fist. Angeal watched him leave with a small smile, "He's actually smarter than you'd think, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth chuckled softly and absentmindedly squeezed the piece of paper in his hand tighter, "I assume so. You would never involve yourself with an idiot."

Angeal laughed softly and smiled as Zack brought them two steaming mugs of dark brown coffee. "Here ya go! I brewed it myself! I know how Angeal likes his coffee." Zack grinned at Angeal conspiratorially. "Dark, hot, and in the tallest mug I can find."

Sephiroth shook his head as Angeal blushed softly and examined the surprisingly clean white saucer and mug before taking a small sip. He blinked and took another sip, nodding at Zack in appreciation, "Very good coffee."

Zack grinned and raced off, leaving a small red tinge on Angeal's face. "You're right, Sephiroth, I wouldn't. So, we should probably start discussing your problem now that you've been allowed to laugh at mine, don't you think?"

Sephiroth sighed and sipped his coffee quietly, "What makes you think it's a problem? I just need to tell him that I'm not interested in the nicest way possible and send him on his way."

Angeal chuckled softly and stirred sweetener into his coffee, "If it isn't a problem then why do you still have the paper in your hand?"

Sephiroth frowned and shoved the paper into his pocket. "No reason."

Angeal chuckled softly and sipped at his coffee, "Sure, no reason. You think he's hot don't you?"

Sephiroth frowned and clung to his mug of coffee tightly, "Attractiveness is no reason to start a relationship."

Angeal shrugged and watched Zack bounce around the restaurant like a rogue firecracker. "Zack and I started by accident. He would come see me after my classes for help he didn't need on math work I knew he understood and then one night he invited me out to this dinner. After that it became routine for us to come here, and we just sort of…fell together."

Sephiroth smiled softly and followed Angeal's surprisingly tender gaze. "He seems rather spirited. He's not what I expected for your significant other. I assumed you'd find someone as frugal and uptight as you are."

Angeal laughed and shook his head, "Why would a boring man want a boring partner? I'm fairly sure that's why you're attracted to Reno. You're boring; he isn't."

Sephiroth sighed and took a large gulp of the hot coffee, inhaling sharply as it scalded the inside of his throat. He coughed quietly and set the mug down, "I thought you assumed it was because he was attractive?"

Angeal grinned, "No, but thanks for admitting the fact."

Sephiroth blinked and chuckled, "I didn't admit anything; you dragged it out of me!"

"The fact that it was in there makes it admittance." Angeal tapped his temple and sipped his coffee as Zack set their food in front of them. He flashed Zack a small smile and gave him a nod of thanks before the dark haired man rushed off to fill another order. He turned his attention back to Sephiroth as the man inspected the meat of his filet for pink rawness. "Whatever you do, Sephiroth, don't get into a relationship with a student for sexual gain. If it's for sex, tell him it's for sex. If not he'll think it's all about emotions and if it's not about emotions for you and it is for him, then once you're bored with him he will hurt more than you can imagine."

Sephiroth frowned at Angeal and ripped a handful of napkins from the dispenser on the edge of their table. "You know I'm not like that." He sniffed at his burger and picked it up; making sure that a heavy layer of napkins protected his hands and sleeves from the grease sodden buns. "I think I may have to ask them to strain my sandwich next time we come here."

Angeal smiled and rolled up his sleeves, picking up the greasy piece of deliciousness bare-handed. "You're just being a sissy. Be a man. Shut up and eat the damned sandwich."

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Author's Note: woo-hoo! Finally got another chappie up! Sorry it took so long. *sweatdrop* I've added more characters to make up for it!


	3. Chapter 3

Reno sat curled up on the couch, a box of tissues sitting on the coffee table before him. Rude sighed and tried to focus on the essay he had been postponing for the past week as he probed his red-headed roommate for answers. "You've been crying since you got home, dude. What happened?"

Reno blew his nose wetly and Rude cringed as Reno tossed the soggy, crumpled tissue onto the coffee table. Reno had been answering his questions in that manner since he had first run through the door. Rude had been more concerned than confused at first; Reno had been drenched in sweat and crying and Rude had assumed from the red-heads disheveled appearance that he had been mugged, but now Rude was getting annoyed. He didn't like it when Reno brushed the few questions he asked to the wayside and he liked it even less when Reno wouldn't tell him things. Reno usually told him everything, even if he didn't want to listen to him babble, and a silent Reno was something to be concerned about. Reno blew his nose again and Rude shuddered at the fog-horn like sound; Reno might not have been talking but he sure was making noise.

Rude sighed and swiveled his chair around so he faced the couch, deciding that his essay could wait another day; he was almost finished with it anyways. "If you don't tell me whose ass I have to kick I'm going to kick yours."

Reno wiped his nose and sniffled pathetically, giving Rude his best set of puppy-dog eyes. He had learned from Zack's example that puppy-eyes worked on Rude very well. "Go kick R-Rodney's ass he's the reason Seph got the airplane. He u-usually just throws 'em back but Rodney h-had ta make a s-scene!"

Rude sighed and rubbed his eyes; he was too stressed for this shit. Reno's attraction to Sephiroth was a subject he hated; he kept giving Reno advice and Reno kept ignoring it. "I keep telling you to stop throwing the damn things if you don't want him to know. I'm not kicking Rodney's ass because I happen to think he's a pretty cool guy despite your issues with him. Besides, if I kick his ass he won't tutor me in physics."

Reno sniffled and pouted, dropping the puppy-eyes; they always worked for Zack but never for him. "You don't need a physics tutor, Rude; you are a tutor! You're the smartest person ever."

Rude sighed and shook his head; Reno had a point, Rude was passing every class and he was hardly trying. The students he tutored hated that he outshined them so brightly. "So? I'm still not kicking Rodney's ass for your stupidity. Hell, I should kick your ass for being stupid. I've told you countless times to stop hitting on Sephiroth and you keep doing it. You dug your own grave, Red."

Reno frowned and blew his nose. "Is it my fault he's hot enough to fry bacon on?"

Rude sighed and turned around, picking up his last sentence where it had dropped off. "Whatever, it's your business. You're going back to that class tomorrow whether you want to or not, though. I'm not letting you skip because you want to be depressed."

Reno sighed and sunk into the couch. "Fine, I'll go but I'll just be back on this couch crying again tomorrow when he rejects me."

Rude typed and nodded. "So long as you give him the chance to reject you, that's fine."

Reno and Rude both jumped as the door was flung open by an overeager Zack. Zack bounded in and ran to the kitchen, Styrofoam boxes in his hands. "I got free food again guys!"

Reno and Rude both dropped what they were doing and ran to the kitchen, drawn by the promise of grease and gristle. Zack washed his hands and kicked off his shoes, grinning widely. "Guess who came to see me today?"

Reno and Rude rolled their eyes in unison as they answered, grabbing boxes and comparing contents before swapping in favor of what the other had. "Angeal."

Zack laughed and grabbed the leftover box. "Yup! Guess who was with him?"

Rude began munching away at his food happily. "Genesis?"

Zack shook his head and swallowed before speaking, knowing that Rude would slap him upside the head if he talked with his mouth full. "Nope! Sephiroth!" He grinned at Reno and nudged him with his elbow. "And guess what else? I heard them make plans to come back again tomorrow for dinner when a certain red-head will be waiting tables."

Reno felt his face fall and blinked at Zack. "W-what! But he can't come by tomorrow! He's rejecting me tomorrow! I can't see him at work after that!"

Zack raised an eyebrow, looking at Rude for answers. "The hell is he talking about?"

Rude sighed and ate. "Sephiroth finally figured out there was something written inside the airplane. Reno ran off before he got an answer so now he has to wait until tomorrow to see what Sephiroth thinks of him. It's why he was sitting in a mountain of tissues when you came in, didn't that raise any red flags for you?"

Zack shook his head cheerfully and kept eating. "Nope! I didn't even notice his depressed butt. I think you'll be okay though, Angeal and Seph were talking about some love-letter thing and I didn't hear the word rejection out of either of them."

Reno's face suddenly brightened. "You didn't? Really!"

Zack nodded as Rude chuckled. "Nope, not once. I eavesdropped the whole time they were there too so I'd know. I'm pretty sure what you'll be getting an invitation to private tutoring tomorrow, not a no."

Reno grinned and started wolfing down his food, not bothering to finish chewing before he talked. "Zack, you're so frickin' awesome. You know that, right?"

Zack grinned as Rude reached across the table and smacked the side of Reno's head. "I know that. You guys have been telling me that since fourth grade."

Reno rubbed his head and glared at Rude darkly as he chewed, careful to keep his mouth shut as he did. Rude nodded in approval and continued eating as if he had never reached across the table. "I think we're to blame for your big head then."

Zack grinned and laughed, "No, that's just my big ol' brain swellin' up 'cause I use it too much."

Rude rolled his eyes and snorted, "I doubt that's why your brain's swelling up. I'd bet money it's because it's getting fat because of all the junk you put in it."

Reno giggled and ate; leg jittering like it was attached to a motor. He barely listened to Zack and Rude argue over the reason behind Zack's cocky, pigheadedness; focusing more on what he would wear the next day and how he would manage to make staying after class look natural.

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Author's Note: Yay! Happy pseudo-family time! I wish work would give me free-food; I have to pay for it when I want it. : ( Anywho, I wrote this while listening to the song The Hunter's Season by Kamelot. It's one of the best songs ever, give it a listen! I just bought their new CD and it's SUPER AWESOME! It's giving me lots of awesome things to listen too while I write so I should be kicking updates out faster. I write better with music and lately my music collection has been stagnant. I try to add a CD every month, but it's been two or three months since I bought one. I've been too busy working to spend the money I earn xD


	4. Chapter 4

Zack stretched, flopping onto his messy, unmade bed with unmatched sheets with a contented hum. He had won the argument with Rude over his swelling ego; he hadn't thought up a better come-back, but he had exasperated Rude until Rude gave up and he chalked that up as a victory. He was sure his inner score board was off by a few points, but he was always more generous with giving himself points than he was with giving Rude points. After all, why should he admit defeat when Rude refused to rub it in? It wasn't really defeat until he was humiliated; not to him anyways.

He reached over the side of his bed, searching through his discarded pants for the ones he had worn to work that night, and pulled his phone out of one of the pockets. It was dying, he was neglectful towards the small, electrical gadget, but he was sure it would have just enough battery left for him to text his favorite person in the whole wide world.

His thumbs typed away madly, Angeal held the philosophy that anything typed by a thumb isn't worth reading, but Zack knew he pushed his text-hate to the wayside for him. He pressed send and stared at the ceiling, plugging his phone in and listening to Reno and Rude fight over bathroom time as he contemplated turning on his fan. It was hot, just hot enough to bring a light sweat to his skin, but he felt that sleeping on top of the blankets and nude might keep him cool enough for sleep. If he turned the fan on, it was a rather nice fan despite three semesters worth of dust coating the blades and it worked like a dream, he would have to sleep beneath the covers with boxers on and he hated sleeping under the covers with boxers on, unless it was winter. He made exceptions to his 'no clothes in bed' rule during the winter.

As Rude won the bathroom fight by force, slamming the door in Reno's face, Zack's phone finally buzzed. Zack grinned happily and picked it up, flipping it open and giggling, "Why can't you just text back like a normal person, Geal?"

Angeal snorted on the other end of the phone and Zack could hear his eyes rolling. _"Because it takes fifteen minutes to text what I can say in five minutes."_

Zack grinned and looked at the alarm clock hiding beneath a discarded pair of socks on his dresser. "Then you've got five minutes to fill me in on the Sephiroth and Reno situation. Startiiiiing-" He waited for the glaring, laser-like red numbers to change before giving Angeal space to answer, "now! Go! Chop chop, time's a waistin'!"

Angeal chuckled softly and Zack could hear him sit down in his favorite leather chair, he knew it was the leather one because of the leathery creaks that echoed distortedly over the phone. _"There isn't much to tell. Sephiroth knows Reno likes him, he wants to know why, and he's possibly willing to give it a chance if Reno is looking for more than just a one-night stand."_

Zack grinned as he listened to Reno pound on the bathroom door, wailing at Rude for taking twenty minutes when it had only been twenty seconds. "Oh, he's definitely interested in more than a one night stand. I think he's the type to come on strong and then back off when things get serious so one night stands never work. He's the school-girl crush type."

"_I never would have guessed." _Angeal chuckled softly, a comforting sound that sent Zack's lips to smiling instantly. _"Sephiroth won't know what to do with him."_

Zack grinned and lowered his voice as he heard footsteps too light to be Rude's pass his doorway. "I bet you could give him a few pointers, Geal."

Angeal cleared his throat nervously and Zack could almost feel the heat of his blush through the receiver. _"I think I'll let him figure it out on his own. The amount of time it will take him will be long enough to know if Reno is actually interested in a long-term commitment. No offense to him, but he seems wishy-washy."_

Zack listened to Rude and Reno argue about more trivial nothings, giggling at the fact that despite their constant arguing and obvious differences they were best friends. "Yeah, he does. It's because half the time he's so scatterbrained he doesn't actually know what he wants."

Angeal chuckled again and Zack felt all the worry lines, lines he was technically too young to have, melt off his face from the heat of his warm smile. _"I'm sure he'll figure it out. How was work?"_

Zack sighed and the worry lines came back, despite the carefree attitude he carried with him at work he was always worrying. "Not so good. I found another penis carved into a bench. People aren't even artistic about their dick carvings anymore, Geal! They just slap an oval with feet on some wood and write 'suck on this' beneath it. I swear if I find one more penis carving I'm giving up on humanity entirely."

Angeal laughed and Zack felt the lines go away again. _"Don't give up on humanity over a few limp woodies, Zack. You know they aren't all that terribly proportioned."_

Zack grinned and sprawled across his bed happily, phone practically glued to his ear. "I wouldn't mind it if all the carvings were modeled after your dick."

Zack giggled as Angeal cleared his throat, letting the blush he knew was painting his lover's cheeks color his own. _"I'm sure you'd have much less fun sanding the graffiti away if that were the case, Zack."_

Zack yawned softly as he heard his roommates' doors slam shut after a grumbled but audible 'good night' passed between the tired, arguing pair. "Are you kidding? That'd just be another change to practice my technique!"

Angeal laughed softly, the distorted creak of leather and metallic chime of a clock that sounded musical when heard in person letting Zack know that Angeal was soon going to make his way to bed. Angeal had a very predictable night-time schedule that Zack had memorized after only a few nights spent curled up in Angeal's lap as Angeal sat in his favorite leather chair. _"I'm sure you'll have more chances to practice your technique in the future, Zackary."_

Uh-oh, Angeal had pulled out the dreaded Zackary, a sure sign that he was ready to end the call and go to bed, as if the clock chime and leather creaks hadn't been enough of a warning. Zack smiled softly, trying to ignore the powerful urge to yawn. "Goin' ta bed, love?"

Angeal yawned into the phone, the sound setting off the yawn that had been building in Zack's throat. _"Mmhmm. It's getting late, Zackary. You sound tired anyways."_

Zack shrugged and yawned again, cursing his body's natural instincts. "I guess I'm kinda tired. I can just sleep in Genesis' class again. I'm sure Rude will give me the notes."

He could hear Angeal's eyes roll wildly in their sockets. _"Eventually Rude will get sick of doing your work for you. Where will you be then?"_

Zack grinned and nuzzled deeper into his bed. "I'll be bugging you for tutoring again."  
Angeal chuckled softly. _"I'm a math teacher not an English teacher."_

Zack shrugged, "So? I just need to know what he's looking for and since he really only ever talks about Loveless and I _know_ he preaches to you about Loveless I'm sure you can help."

Angeal laughed, _"I've never read the book but I can spout it out word for word because of that man."_

Zack hummed happily, fighting back more yawns. "Will you spout it out for me tomorrow? I think he's giving a quiz over it this week and I haven't studied at all."

"_We'll see. If you go to bed like a good boy then I'll be happy to oblige your request."_

"Night, Geal!" Zack grinned and waited for Angeal to rumble out a response in the amused tone he always reserved for him before clicking his phone shut. He set it on top of the socks on top of his alarm clock and flipped the switch on the alarm clock that would turn the alarm on. He flipped the light-switch by his bed with his foot, too lazy to get up and do it, and cracked his back a final time before settling into a sleeping position. He could hear Rude's soft snores leaking in through the crack under his door and let them lull him to sleep, the clicking of Reno's fan in the other room lending a metronome-like affect that put him at ease. Angeal was right; he didn't need to worry about Reno and Sephiroth. If things happened they happened and if not then he would just help Reno pick up the pieces that were left and let Angeal do the same for Sephiroth.

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Author's Note: I just think this is a cute little add-on. I like Zacky/Geal time and haven't written any yet so I figured I'd give it a try in this convenient little AU. If you spot any grammar issues I apologize, I haven't been the world's best proofreader lately.


	5. Chapter 5

Reno fidgeted nervously, his notes looking more like chicken-scratches than words. His pencil, which had already been gnawed to a pulp when the class began, was now little more than a piece of lead with an eraser at the end. He felt like a beaver as he gnawed away at it, but he couldn't keep himself from tearing apart every bit of wood on it. He had several pencils that had seen the same treatment, but none had been gnawed quite so thoroughly. Rodney tossed another scrap of paper at him; he'd been trying to get his attention all through the class but Reno had been ignoring him to the best of his abilities. Rodney whispered conspiratorially at him, "You're gonna get lead poisoning, Red!"

Reno tossed the skeleton of a pencil at Rodney and snatched another from his bag, stuffing it between his teeth. Rodney caught the pencil, but Reno didn't see him throw it away. He actually thought he saw Rodney stuff it into his bag through the corner of his eye, but that was a creepy thing to even suggest and Reno didn't want to think about it. He kept his eyes locked on Sephiroth and his pencil gripped between his teeth.

Sephiroth's lesson wasn't affected in the slightest by his distraction, he was concentrating as hard as he could on making sure the lesson stayed clear and that his eyes did not drift to the left to where Reno sat. He enunciated every word he spoke carefully and referred to his own notes repeatedly as his students took their own. He knew Reno's eyes were focused on him, he could feel the penetrating stare even if he couldn't see the brilliant blue eyes gazing at him. So _maybe_ he was a little distracted by the red-head, but that wouldn't keep him from doing his job. He'd been distracted by plenty of red-heads in the past and that had never kept him from doing his job before.

Reno gnawed in the pencil, splitters peppering his tongue and wedging between his teeth. He was nervous as hell; his legs were bouncing like he had small trampolines wedged under his heels and he couldn't resist his natural urge to bounce on them. He wanted class to end so he could confront Sephiroth and put his sparking nerves at rest. He had to admit though; he was getting a great calf workout from all the nervous jittering his legs were doing.

Sephiroth dismissed the class a few minutes early and started gathering his things. There was nothing else he could say to keep the lesson going and he didn't feel like shoving homework onto the laps of his students; he knew a good portion of them had enough homework to worry about as it was. Genesis and Angeal seemed to have a competition going for who could assign the most homework and the most tedious homework and it wasn't clear who was winning, but Sephiroth had caught whispers of Genesis crafting together a project that would take things to the next level.

Sephiroth watched as Reno packed things into his bag as slowly as he could, ignoring the glare Rodney sent him as he stacked his own papers into his briefcase. He knew Rodney was going to be problematic later on if his relationship with Reno escalated, but he would deal with Rodney when the time came for Rodney to be dealt with. Right now he didn't even know if he and Reno would get farther than a first date.

Reno must've jumped ten feet in the air when Sephiroth started talking to him, the trampolines under his heels made his ascent easier. "Are you alright, Reno? Usually you bolt out of here so fast I can't even finish dismissing the class."

Reno whipped around with a blush, slinging his open bag over his shoulders. "S-sorry! Am I keeping you?"

Sephiroth shook his head and snapped his briefcase shut, "No, I can leave whenever I want. I could leave in the middle of class if I wanted to."

Reno bounced down the steps, wincing as he heard his bag spill its contents onto the floor. He hadn't even realized it needed to be shut to keep everything inside it. He had been hoping there would be an invisible force-field that would keep his mangled mess of a bag contained. "Shit…" He slipped his bag off and knelt down, stuffing papers and pencils into his bag as fast as he could.

Sephiroth took Reno's mess as an opportunity to get closer, walking up the row of seats to where the man was and extending a hand to him once he finished cramming things back into his bag. "Don't forget to zip it this time. It'll make it seem like you're stalling."

Reno blushed and zipped his bag shut, shakily taking the hand that was lowered near his eyes and using it to pull himself up. He was fairly sure the jolt that went through his overexcited nerves was an imagined one, but it had its effect on him all the same. He felt his tongue spark and whine like an engine that refused to turn over and had to bite it to keep himself from stuttering. He let go of Sephiroth's hand once he was on his feet, but Sephiroth didn't release his grip. Reno raised an eyebrow, unable to speak.

Sephiroth smiled and kept his grip on Reno's hand light but firm. "I want to be able to talk to you without having to worry about you running off mid-sentence. You run too fast for me to keep up."

Reno blushed and reinstated his grip on Sephiroth's hand, if he was going to be holding hands with his crush he had better be participating. He didn't know if the chance to touch Sephiroth would ever arise again. "Sorry bout that. I uh… I didn't know how you would react so I uh…I freaked and ran."

Sephiroth shrugged, "It's alright. I was just wondering if you'd like to discuss the subject mentioned in your note over dinner tomorrow night." Sephiroth mentally slapped himself as Reno's face went blank; he sucked at asking people out on dates. He had the looks to draw them in and then he would open his mouth and it was like he had farted loudly.

Reno felt his lack of understanding register on his face and quickly tried to recover, his tongue sputtered to a start in his mouth. "Are…did you just… you mean a date?"

Sephiroth chuckled softly, "If that's what you want to call it then yes, I'd like to know if you will go on a date with me tomorrow night at about six o'clock. Does that sound alright? You don't have to dress formally, I don't dine black tie."

Reno nodded, brain suddenly swamped with ideas and suggestive thoughts. He felt Sephiroth's hand release its grip and he felt the urge to run, but he forced his feet to remain glued to the floor. Sephiroth handed him his phone and he understood the vague notion that he was to put his contact information into the device. He typed out his name and number and then found that his thumbs refused to type more, so he handed the device back to Sephiroth. At that moment his feet unglued and he found himself nervously sprinting for the door, his feet flying across the campus before he registered what had happened.

Sephiroth chuckled and saved Reno's information into his phone, enjoying the light breeze Reno had left in his wake. He wasn't aware that someone could actually disappear in the blink of an eye, but he swore that that was what had just happened. One moment Reno was there, tantalizingly close, and the next he was gone and a small strand of red hair floating in front of his face was the only evidence he had that he had been there at all.


	6. Chapter 6

Rude was pretty sure Reno could break glass with his high-pitched, embarrassingly girly screams of delight. He held his ears as Reno squeakily tried to tell Zack and himself what had happened; as if they hadn't already guessed. Rude already knew what most likely had happened because Sephiroth had told Angeal his plans and then Angeal had told Zack and then Zack had told him. Through this strange game of telephone, Rude had figured out all that he needed or wanted to know. He was half glad that Rodney was going to be coming by to help him with physics soon; Rodney could always squash Reno's good mood and bring his air-filled head careening back to the ground. Reno needed a good deflating right now; he was too hopped up on happiness for it to be healthy. It was too bad that Reno would have to come home to his least favorite person sitting in the living room, but he would have to deal with it. Rodney was Rude's friend and if Reno didn't like it then he could go stuff it. Rude didn't care. He was just happy to have convinced Rodney that he still needed help in physics, even though it was so obvious that he didn't. He didn't know why he couldn't just ask Rodney to come over and hang out, but it just didn't feel right when he knew he and Reno were uncomfortable around each other. Or, perhaps, he didn't like how comfortable Rodney was when he made Reno uncomfortable. He needed to stop thinking on it; he had to figure out how to be physics stupid without looking like he was trying to be physics stupid.

Zack had to admit, Reno's reaction was horrifically overwhelming. He had had to force him to get ready for work and getting him to actually calm down enough to go was even harder. Reno could be a handful sometimes, but that was why Zack liked him. He kept things interesting. He had Reno shoved out the door five minutes before he was supposed to clock in and, as Reno sprinted off like he had Ifrit's flames licking his heels, he had no concerns over Reno getting there on time. Reno always made it on time.

Reno sprinted as if he had wings on his shoes. As he ran he realized that this was why he went through shoes faster than anything else, but it was well worth it. They just needed to make stronger shoes for him; that was all. He skidded to a stop in front of the diner doors and took a second to breathe, pushing open the doors once his hyperactive lungs finished gulping down gallons of air. "Hey, Debra, I made it in five minutes! Is that a record?"

Debra was a rather plump, kindly woman who had a knack for sensing when someone was in trouble. She was the one who had gotten Reno and Zack the jobs bussing and waiting tables for the diner; she had found them sitting and stewing over their financial troubles in one of pleather seated booths that lined wall of the diner. She had questioned them as she poured their coffee and then had had her manager hire them. She knew desperate, hard-workers when she saw them, and she did her best to let her manager know when she saw them. Reno was surprised that Debra hadn't been promoted to manager, but she always told him that it didn't matter what position anyone worked so long as they worked it to the best of their abilities. Reno lived by her motto while he was at work.

Debra shook her head and clocked him in, giving him time to wash his hands before he started his shift. "Nah, Red, your record is three minutes. Keep tryin' though; I'm sure you'll beat it. Why ain't you on a track team or somethin'? With all the runnin' you do you'd win trophies."

"I would, but the track team on campus is full of hoity-toity jerkwads who think that sneakers are better than talent." Reno spoke with mirth instead of venom, having joked with Debra about the subject several times.

"Well if ya join, maybe they'll give ya a pair of them sneakers they love so much." Debra always clicked her tongue disapprovingly at the state of Reno's shoes.

"And throw away these bad boys?" Reno lifted his foot and stroked the thin sole of his shoe reverently. "But they're so comfortable!"

"That's because you're practically barefoot, Red." Debra rolled her eyes to the heavens, as if asking some unknown power to give Reno a few brains. "Wash your hands again, your feet are filthy."

Reno dutifully washed his hands, grinning like a fool. "So I've got a hot date tomorrow, Debbie."

"Is he a man's man or a swindler?" Debra knew about Reno and Zack's homosexual tendencies and she didn't care. It was rare for Reno to meet someone so blatantly accepting and he admired her tolerance and understanding.

Reno hummed happily and grabbed a notepad and pencil, face taking on a dreamy pallor. "Oh, he's a man's man alright. Apparently he's coming here tonight with Zack's boyfriend. If I start drooling I want you to slap me upside the head, okay?"

Debra smiled and handed him a warm pot of coffee. "I'll enjoy that. Go warm table seven's coffee; he looks like he's havin' a real bad day."

Reno nodded and walked around the long counter, raising an eyebrow at the man at table seven. The man had a ripped open book bag beside him and his jacket was lopsided on his shoulders. His shirt was torn at the collar and a few droplets of red marked the front. Reno could tell the man had been in a fight; he had looked the same way more than one time in his life. There was a bruise on his chin, but otherwise he looked physically sound, except for the shake in his narrow shoulders. The guy couldn't be any older than Reno and if he was younger then it wasn't by much. Reno wouldn't be surprised if they went to school together; Reno hardly bothered with getting to know anyone so it was possible that they had even had classes together. He poured coffee into the hall-empty mug in front of the man, "You alright, guy?"

The blonde looked up, face withdrawn and thin lips dry and cracked. "No, I just got hazed."

Reno clucked his tongue and shook his head sadly, "Which fraternity?"

"I don't know." The blonde held the mug in his shaking hands, looking into the black depths of the coffee accusingly.

"Do you know what it was about?" Reno raised an eyebrow. Usually the campus fraternities let whoever they hazed know why and sometimes they even let them know when they would get hazed, just to give them something to plan around. It was shitty of them to do, but no one stopped them or really even thought twice about the validity of the act.

The blonde shook his head, shoulders shaking softly. Reno thought he looked fragile, but now that he was closer he could see the lean muscles lining the blonde's arms and knew that he would be a good fighter when provoked. He was short, but wiry. "No."

"Did you at least get a few hits in?" Reno looked around the diner, making sure he wasn't neglecting any other customers by lending a supportive ear to the shaken man in front of him. Thankfully, the few people in the diner were absorbed in their food and drink.

The man nodded and grinned sheepishly, showing Reno his torn knuckles. "Clocked the biggest one in the teeth; he went down like a bag of rocks."

Reno clapped the man on the shoulder gently, grinning brilliantly. "Good work! My first hazing I got my ass handed to me; didn't even land a hit. Course, I was only thirteen, but still, it was pretty damn embarrassing." Reno cleared his throat as the man looked up at him, opening his mouth to ask a question that Reno abruptly cut off. "Are you a transfer student?"

The man hesitated and then nodded, "Yeah, transferred from Nibelheim a week or so ago."

Reno nodded and looked over as a couple entered the diner. "Maybe I'll see you around campus? My name's Reno. If you need anything, give me a shout. I'll come running."

"Thanks." The blonde looked back into his coffee, seeming less shaken than he was before. Reno loved making someone feel better, even if he wasn't always good at it and hardly ever went about it the right way.

Reno waited tables the way he always did, but tonight there was a hint of nervousness in his movements. He spilled coffee grounds when he tried to make new coffee; he had never spilled before. In his anxiety he had accidentally switched two tables orders; another first for him. He was spending too much time looking at the door, waiting for Sephiroth to come in, and Debra was very close to scolding him. The cook in the back wasn't happy with him either. Reno's handwriting was illegible at its best, and tonight his chicken scratch was even worse than normal.

The chef growled as Reno popped more illegible pieces of paper onto the counter for him. "Dammit, Red! Write in fuckin' English!"

Reno blinked, Ellis had never cursed at him before. Ellis had cursed at the stove or the wilted broccoli or the burnt caramel, but never at him. "Sorry?"

Ellis frowned at him, stirring a pot of something. "Is it too much to ask you to write somethin' I can read?"

Debra peeked in from her position behind the bar, a corner of her mouth turned up in a wry smile. "Don't be mean, Ellis. Red's worried because his man is coming in tonight."

"Tell me who he is. I'll spit on his burger." Ellis grumbled heatedly as a patty on the stove charred to perfection.

Reno frowned and rewrote the tickets, slamming them on the counter and glaring at Ellis challengingly. "Ya don't hafta be an ass!"

Ellis frowned back and snatched the ticket back as Reno began stalking off to get a waiting table their drinks. "Same ta you!"

Debra sighed and filled drinks for the people sitting on barstools in front of her. "Take it easy you two. If I have to call Palmer out of his office, I'll beat you both." Palmer was the owner and a manager of the diner and his word was law. If he had to leave his office to solve an employee problem then someone was getting fired.

Reno and Ellis immediately apologized to each other and went back to work. Debra's threats were often promises. Neither of them needed Palmer to sort out their difficulties. As far as they were concerned, his fat ass could stay in his office where it belonged.

Reno was taking an order, working hard at his handwriting so he and Ellis wouldn't blow up on each other again, when Sephiroth finally entered the restaurant. Angeal followed him in, shaking out his umbrella as best as he could; Reno hadn't even noticed the rain starting. They sat at a table and talked quietly, patiently waiting for Reno to get to their table. He finished the order he was taking quickly and then took his next, knowing that Debra would chastise him if he went out of his way to take Sephiroth's order. He had to keep working the way he always did or else he'd ruin his routine and someone would be forgotten.

When he finally got to Sephiroth's table, he felt as if he had swallowed a copious amount of helium seconds before reaching it. He noted that it was the same table Angeal always sat at; Angeal was a man of routine and order and he always did things the same way if he could. Reno had Angeal's order written before he asked for it. He cleared his throat, choking back the helium sensation so his voice wouldn't squeak and embarrass him. "Hey guys, what can I get for you?"

Angeal smiled at Reno, recognizing him from the few times he had picked Zack up from the apartment they shared with Rude and the many times Reno had been his waiter. "Hello, Reno. I'd like my usual and a cup of coffee please."

Reno nodded and turned to Sephiroth, trying to hide the blush growing beneath his cheeks. "And for you?" He couldn't help but notice how good Sephiroth looked when he was trying to look casual. His jacket was peppered with rain that had given his hair a shimmering quality and Reno gripped his pad of paper tighter so the urge to run his fingers through the silvery locks would be less. Sephiroth in a t-shirt was appealing and Reno wished he had seen Sephiroth walk in; the jeans the man was wearing looked very snug.

Sephiroth looked up at Reno and could almost see his stomach churning with nervousness. There was a becoming blush on his thin cheeks and it was spreading across the top of his nose as the moment stretched on. His hair was as tousled as always and the few shorter strands that were sliding out of his unruly ponytail were beginning to frame his face in a becoming fashion. He almost forgot what Reno had asked him as he looked his face over, but the swift kick to the shin he received from Angeal quickly put his mind back on track. "I'll have the soup and a tea please."

Reno nodded and wrote Sephiroth's order, making sure his writing was legible; it was hard when his hand was shaking so violently. "I'll have that out for you as soon as possible." Reno took his orders back to the kitchen, trying to choke back his blush as Debra giggled at him. He frowned at her and cleared his throat of the building mass of helium as he put the tickets down for Ellis. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothin', Red, I'm just glad it's a slow night. I need you to get table three's check. They look like they're finished." Debra smiled at him kindly, courteously swallowing her giggle as she bapped him in the back of the head when he walked by.

Reno grumbled softly, "I wasn't droolin'!", and then did as he was told, fighting the urge to run through the restaurant. Debra laughed behind him and he did his best to ignore her as he refilled drinks and took checks.

Sephiroth rubbed his shin discreetly and looked at Angeal. "That hurt."

"No, it saved you from looking like a predator. I thought you were going to try and order him off the menu. They don't serve red-head here, Sephiroth." Angeal smiled and propped his umbrella against his chair.

Sephiroth slid his jacket off his shoulders and draped it over the back of his chair, straightening the cuffs of his t-shirt. He didn't have a knack for casual dress, he'd rather be wearing sleeves and slacks instead of having his arms bare and his legs encased in suffocating denim jeans. He felt vulnerable with his arms exposed to the air of the diner and the v-neck collar of the maroon t-shirt he wore exposed part of his chest. He was uncomfortable, but he would have to deal with it. "I believe I ordered the soup, not the red-head. However, if the red-head is a side order for the soup then I'll gladly have it."

Angeal laughed and shrugged off his own jacket, draping it behind him in a copy of Sephiroth's. "Look whose making jokes! I didn't think I'd live to see the day."

Sephiroth frowned and kept his glances to the side to a minimum, wishing he had blinders so he wouldn't be tempted to turn his head and look at the dash of red he kept catching in the corner of his eye. "I'm just as capable of telling jokes as anyone else."

Angeal nodded and compulsively straightened the small container of sugar packets on the table so that it was even with the napkin dispenser. "Yes, but you rarely put that ability to use."

"I don't see a reason to. You and Genesis make enough jokes for me to be content." Sephiroth smiled as a glass of tea was slipped in front of him, looking up at Reno. "Thank you, Reno."

Reno would never get tired of hearing Sephiroth say his name in that low, rumbly, very masculine voice he had. It made him shiver all over just to hear it. "You're welcome." He set Angeal's coffee in front of him, trying not to stare at any part of Sephiroth, even though his well-defined chest and arms were easy on the eyes and his face was a magnet that kept trying to attract his eyes.

Angeal sipped his coffee and tried to ignore the very apparent sexual tension between the two. A small part of him wished they would do each other and get it over with, but he knew it would be a slow process for them. Sephiroth wasn't exactly open and Reno wasn't exactly ready. They would get together eventually, but it would take a lot of prodding from him and Zack to make it happen properly.

Reno smiled at Sephiroth and felt his blush deepen as he quickly rushed back to the kitchen to get food for the other tables. Debra was right; it was a slow night at the diner. Reno was glad though, he wouldn't want more customers to keep him distracted when one customer in particular was taking most of his attention.

Angeal looked at Sephiroth, trying to decide whether of not the man needed another kick in the shin. Sephiroth seemed to have gotten stuck while looking at Reno and his eyes had a dreamy cast as he watched the red-head rush around the restaurant like his feet couldn't go fast enough. Angeal let him stare for a few moments longer before he jabbed Sephiroth's shin with the point of his shoe. "Come back to the ground, Sephiroth. You're in the clouds."

"The clouds are more enjoyable than the ground." Sephiroth rubbed his shin and took a sip of his tea, shaking off the fog that had momentarily wrapped around his mind and filled it with inappropriate thoughts.

"But the ground is more stable." Angeal smiled, noting that, as Reno cleaned tables, he was returning Sephiroth's stare as discreetly as he could. It was rather cute how sophomoric their relationship was, especially when Sephiroth's general air of sophistication was taken into account.

"Stable is safe, but boring. I think I'm rather tired of being boring." Sephiroth sipped his tea and refocused his wandering eyes.

Angeal smiled and sipped at his coffee. "You're not boring; you just need a good push towards entertainment every now and again."

Reno slipped their food in front of them and smiled, trying hard to remain nonchalant. "How are you guys tonight?"

"Very good, thank you." Angeal smiled and checked his sandwich, noting with pleasure that it was exactly how he always ordered it.

"The rain is a bit of a downer though, right?" Reno smiled, trying to initiate a bit of small-talk now that the diner was nearly empty. There were only two other tables with people; one with the blonde who was still sipping at coffee and the other with an elderly couple who came in regularly and rarely needed Reno's attention.

"Hopefully it makes the temperature go down. It's been getting toasty lately." Sephiroth stirred his soup and tried not to make eye-contact with Reno, knowing that he would stare if he did.

"I like it when it's toasty. Hot weather makes the top of Rude's head burn like crazy and I have so much fun teasing him." Reno hummed happily and warmed Angeal's coffee.

Angeal chuckled softly, "You mean the Rude who might know more about math than I do?"

Reno nodded, "Yup, that Rude. He's ridiculously smart, isn't he?"

Sephiroth nodded and took a sip of his tea to clear his throat of the cobwebs it seemed to have gathered. "He's the first student who has ever passed my class with a grade average over one-hundred percent. What does he plan on doing career-wise?"

Reno shrugged and kept his feet rooted to the spot, wishing he didn't have the nervous jitters that were making his legs twitch with the need to run. "He's not sure what he wants to do yet. He's so good at everything that he's having a hard time choosing what he should spend the rest of his life being excellent at. He needs a challenge and he's not getting one."

Sephiroth looked at Reno curiously, "If he's so smart, why didn't he go to a better college? I don't mean to say that our college isn't a good one, but why didn't he go somewhere that's higher ranked?"

Reno grinned happily, "He got full-ride scholarships nearly everywhere, but he likes the campus here better; especially in the spring. He chose the campus with the prettiest landscaping."

"Maybe he should be a gardener? It would seem like a waste of academic talent, but he would be happy." Sephiroth looked at Reno, reminding himself that, in order to be polite, he must blink every few seconds.

"I never thought of that. I don't think he has either. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll tell him and see what he thinks of it." Reno blushed as he and Sephiroth made eye contact, ignoring Debra's giggles as she cleaned the bar. The diner didn't serve alcohol, but the bar was there anyways. It was lined with stuck-to-the-floor spinning chairs that Reno and Zack would twirl in on days where there was no business. Reno loved those chairs; they held good memories.

"You're welcome." Sephiroth smiled and turned to his soup, doing his best to act normal.

Reno nodded and stood awkwardly for a few more seconds before moving to other tables to take care of the other customers.

Angeal ate his sandwich happily and looked at Sephiroth, swallowing before he talked. "You have such an obvious crush on him, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth frowned and ate his soup, "I despise the word crush. It implies that there is some kind of harm being done."

Angeal shrugged and ate, "Well, if you like someone who doesn't like you, it does harm you, doesn't it?"

"Very true, but the word is not applicable in this instance." Sephiroth crushed crackers into his soup, stirring the starchy crumbs into the broth to watch them drown in flavor.

"I didn't mean to be offensive, Sephiroth. I didn't realize you hated the word." Angeal raised an eyebrow as Sephiroth crunched crackers with more malice than was necessary. "Did those poor crackers have to die so violently?"  
Sephiroth laughed, "Yes, yes they did. They laughed at me."

"I didn't hear them laugh." Angeal smiled, glad that Sephiroth was making jokes and having fun with him. It wasn't often that the silver-haired man felt comfortable enough with himself and his company to cut-loose and relax.

"They laughed. Trust me. They deserved to drown in my soup." Sephiroth ate happily, watching Reno clean out of the corner of his eye.

"Whatever you say, Sephiroth." Angeal smiled and ripped a few napkins from the dispenser at their table, mopping up the grease on his fingers.

"I wonder if he always looks like he wishes he was running a marathon?" Sephiroth looked at Reno, noting how torn and ripped his shoes were with amusement.

Angeal looked at Reno discreetly, "Probably. He's just like Zack, always full of energy he could never possibly use all the way."

"That's not a bad thing though, is it? Some days you seem to rather enjoy an energetic boy-friend." Sephiroth chuckled softly and ate; glad that he and Angela could have a quiet conversation. Too often they had Genesis with them spouting off lines of Loveless at the top of his lungs.

"Oh, I do enjoy our weekends together and tutoring time between classes." Angeal grinned conspiratorially into his sandwich as he ate, thinking back to the time he had spent with Zack in his office that afternoon.

"Do you have plans for the weekend?" Sephiroth knew Angeal's weekend was probably filled with Zack, but he asked anyways.

"Zack and I are going to spend time together. We haven't decided what to do yet, but we might see a movie or drive to the lake and go swimming." Angeal could remember the last time he and Zack had gone to the lake. It had been wonderful.

"Well, I hope you have fun. I haven't really decided where to take Reno for dinner tomorrow. Any suggestions?" Sephiroth hoped Angeal would have many suggestions about what he should do tomorrow. He had no ideas; he didn't know what was appropriate for a first date as he had never been the one doing the planning before. He usually just showed up.

"Take him somewhere fun, but not too fun. You need a place where you can talk without having thirty television's blaring from every wall, but you don't want to go somewhere that's so quiet everyone can hear you breathing. Maybe Josephine's? It's nice and it's usually crowded and when Zack and I went there the food was good. It's not expensive and it's got tasteful décor. No sports memorabilia lining the walls or tacky wall-paper. The noise level is usually a dull-roar, so you can talk without the next table listening to every word you say but still hear each other." Angeal munched fries happily, dousing them with ketchup.

Sephiroth blinked and nodded. "Josephine's it is then. Thanks for the very detailed suggestion." He hadn't expected Angeal to go into much depth, but he did appreciate the information.

"I knew you wouldn't go unless you had a list of reasons why it was a good choice." Angeal chuckled softly as he ate, "Now pipe down about it, he's coming back with more coffee and I don't want you scaring him off."

Sephiroth chuckled softly, "I wouldn't dream of coming between you and your coffee, Angeal."

"I hope you don't dream about my coffee, that's just weird." Angeal watched as Reno drew closer, a pot of black gold steaming in one hand and a pitcher of tea in the other.

* * *

**Author's Note: Woooooo! Long chappie, but hopefully not a boring one! SignedWithAnEcks, my dear, I hope you are enjoying this story of yours. It's making me happy to write it and I thank you for the idea. I LOVE writing AU's.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Green shirt?"

"It clashes with your hair."

"Red shirt?"

"Hell no, same reason."

"The white one?"

"It makes you look fat."

"Dammit, Rude, be more helpful!" Reno frowned and tossed the white shirt onto the growing pile of clothes he wasn't wearing to dinner with Sephiroth in an hour.

"Dammit, Reno, get better clothes!" Rude chuckled and flipped through the pages of the magazine he had in his lap.

"You are not someone to talk to about fashion, Rude." Reno frowned and buttoned up the next shirt he wanted to try.

Rude shrugged and stood, rolling the magazine in his hands. "If you wanted to talk to someone about fashion, you could have asked Zack before he skipped off to be with Angeal."

"I did. He wasn't helpful either." Reno frowned and looked at the black button-up shirt he was wearing. He hated sleeves. He looked weird in them.

Rude sighed and dropped the magazine, pulling clothes out of Reno's closet. "That shirt will work fine, just don't button it to your neck and put this white undershirt under it. Wear black shoes and for once wrap a belt around your skinny ass. You don't want your pants falling down in front of him do you?"

Reno blushed softly and took the shirt from Rude's hand, stripping off the sleeved button-up and pulling on the tank-top. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

"You are not someone who puts out on the first date, Reno. You never have been." Rude rolled his eyes and watched Reno re-dress for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day.

"Maybe I want to be a tease though! I can tease and not be a whore, right?" Reno re-buttoned his shirt carefully, trying to look seamless.

"I guess so, but I don't think Sephiroth likes to be teased. He seems more like someone who wants straightforward communication of wants and needs, so wear the goddamned belt." Rude tossed a thick black belt at Reno, wanting to beat the annoying boy with it instead. The next time Reno went on a date with Sephiroth, Rude was going to hide at Rodney's place until the storm of _'oh my gods does this look okay?'_ died.

Reno pulled on the belt. "Do you think Sephiroth will like this?"

"Sure, why not?" Rude rolled his eyes. He wasn't Sephiroth; he didn't know what the hell Sephiroth would like. Sephiroth might want Reno to prance around in chaps with a riding crop and if Reno asked Rude whether or not Sephiroth would like a maid's outfit instead, Rude would have no fucking clue that Sephiroth wanted Reno to prance around in chaps with a riding crop. Rude did not like to be asked these stupid questions.

Reno brushed at his hair, anxious and unsure of what he should look like in order to be perfect for his first date with Sephiroth. "Should I have my hair up or down?"

Rude responded by letting the door shut on Reno's question, deciding he had better leave before Reno's questions made him leave some serious bruises on him that Sephiroth might ask unwanted questions about.

Reno decided to tie his hair up, just in case there was a breeze that would blow it around and make it not perfect.

Sephiroth had as much trouble as Reno did figuring out what to wear, but thankfully for him Genesis was more fashion savvy and helpful than Rude. "So you really think this will be sufficient attire?"

Genesis rolled his eyes and looked Sephiroth over. "How about you just ask, 'will this look okay', instead of asking if it's 'sufficient attire'. Fancy words aren't always attractive Sephiroth."

"Then you spout Loveless in an attempt to sound unattractive?" The accusation rolled off his tongue before Sephiroth could put it back in park, but the glare he received from Genesis told him it was too late and he had already rammed his insult into his face. The damage was done and it would take a while to undo; Sephiroth knew better than to insult Loveless, it must have been his nerves that kept him from using his sense.

"Unless you want me to rip that nice fancy green shirt of yours you'll keep your damned mouth shut about Loveless. It's a work of art and your insults will not be tolerated." Genesis jabbed one neatly manicured finger into Sephiroth's chest, his blue eyes narrowed and cold. Sephiroth and Angeal always teased him about Loveless, but they didn't understand the meaning it held for him. It was like a song that delved into his very core and gave him a greater insight into the way his world worked. If he didn't let the words out every now and again, they would repeat in his head over and over again like a broken record, slowly driving him insane as his needle skipped over and over again.

Sephiroth pushed Genesis' hand away from his chest gently, smirking softly. "So I'm supposed to take your insults without dishing anything back out?"

"Mine wasn't an insult, it was constructive criticism. Yours was an insult." Genesis pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I apologize; it was meant as a jest not a jab." Sephiroth straightened his shirt with a contemplative frown. He wasn't sure he liked the cut of the cuffs on this one, but if Genesis said it looked attractive he would believe him. Sephiroth knew how much time Genesis put into knowing what looked good and what looked horrific and he would trust his judgment.

"Apology accepted. So do you have any belt buckles that aren't boring and square? Not that I want you to wear something cowboy and gross on your first date, but it seems damned boring to hold your pants up with nothing fun." Genesis gestured to his own belt buckle, which was surprisingly tasteful despite its size and ornate depiction of a vine wrapped dumbapple.

Sephiroth shook his head and fiddled with his cuffs. "No, I don't, and I don't have much more time left to fiddle with what I look like. I told Reno I'd pick him up in about half an hour and I don't want to be late."

"How far away does he live?" Genesis looked Sephiroth over, trying to hide his bitterness over the fact that he was preparing Sephiroth for a date with someone else, instead of with himself. He should have been better prepared to deal with the blatant rejection, as he had been getting them steadily since they started working together, but he had stupidly held out hope that Sephiroth would someday notice that he fulfilled his red-head fetish.

"He lives across town." Sephiroth looked at his watch and frowned softly. "I should probably get going actually. I don't want to be late."

"Have fun. Give me a call if you need pointers." Genesis grabbed his jacket from the back of Sephiroth's chair, hoping Sephiroth's date tanked.

"I thought you had a date tonight?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"I do, but we've gone out before and she won't mind me taking a call." Genesis pulled his jacket on; giving off the nonchalant air he always carried with him.

"Where are you going with her?" Sephiroth walked Genesis to the door, grabbing his keys from a hook in his entryway.

"She's invited me to a bonfire party on the beach. It's not anything major." Genesis opened the door and waited for Sephiroth to follow him out.

"Nothing with you is major, Genesis. Are you just going to lead this girl on, get what you want, and end it like you've done to all the others?" Sephiroth frowned and followed Genesis outside, his hair streaming behind him.

Genesis thought about purposefully shutting Sephiroth's hair in the door, but knew the other man would probably punch him for it and he didn't need to show up to his date with a black eye. "It isn't any of your business what I do with Cissnei tonight. She knows exactly how I operate and it doesn't seem to bother her."

"It bothers me. It may not be my business, but I worry about your happiness when you keep putting yourself into relationships like that." Sephiroth locked the door behind them, sensing that he had touched a nerve in Genesis that didn't like to be prodded.

"What do you mean, '_relationships like that?'_" Genesis frowned accusingly at Sephiroth, daring him to comment further.

"I simply mean that dating someone for sex isn't the healthiest way to a good relationship." Sephiroth shrugged, trying to keep his voice low so that the words sounded more like a comment than an accusation. He didn't need to upset Genesis further.

"I get that you're trying to be a good friend, but don't sit here and lecture me about how unhappy I am with my relationships when yours never go past one date." Genesis frowned, feeling horribly bitter about the conversation topic. It was true, his relationships couldn't be called successful, but at least he had them.

Sephiroth stiffened and looked down at Genesis, glad that his natural height forced the red-head to look up at him. "I guess I should leave the lecturing to Angeal then, since it seems that his opinion is the only one you actually find merit in."

Genesis looked up at Sephiroth, hating how short he was. "I guess you should. Have fun on your date."

"You too." Sephiroth turned and walked to his car, frowning as he realized that Genesis had parked behind him and he would have to wait until the red-head moved to get out. He had wanted to leave the red-head eating the dust he spun off his back tires, but now he had to sit in his car and look stupid while he waited on Genesis to move.

Genesis thought about waiting so that Sephiroth would be late for his date, but his conscience kicked in and he sighed, moving his car so that Sephiroth could leave and they could both make it to their dates on time.

Sephiroth turned on light music in his car, letting the tinkling piano sonatas un-crease his forehead. He wished he didn't fight with Genesis so often, he knew they could be better friends if only they could reign in their pride. He was truly appreciative that Genesis had helped him prepare for his date, but he hadn't said so because they were too busy arguing. Had Angeal been present they would have been more civil.

Sephiroth fiddled with his cuffs as he drove, frowning at the way they looked. He wished he could fix them so that they didn't sit so awkwardly on his wrists. He pulled up to Reno's apartment complex and stepped out of his car, checking his watch to make sure he wasn't too early to pick the red-head up. When he had called to get Reno's address that morning he had told Reno to be ready at six o'clock. His watch told him he was exactly on time and that he could ascend the apartment stairs at will if he wished. He entered the lobby of the complex and looked around for stairs, noting a small push-button communication system to his right. Perhaps he should buzz Reno's apartment instead of walking all the way up to get him? He wasn't sure what the proper protocol was. Maybe he should have told Reno to meet him at Josephine's instead of picking him up? Well, it was too late for that anyways. He stood, torn between stairs and push-button, and the decision was made for him as Reno pranced down the stairs, his shoes making an appearance before the rest of him did. "Dammit! Behave shoes!"

Sephiroth blinked at the shoes as they landed in front of him, noting the knots in the laces that were the most likely reason Reno was aggravated with the footwear. He bent down and scooped them up by the tangled laces, looking up as Reno finished his descent on the stairs. "Maybe you should untangle the laces?"

Reno blushed furiously; he hadn't expected anyone to be at the landing, much less his date. His mental engine stalled and he stood for a moment, turning the key and listening to his mouth sputter incomplete sentences as he tried to restart himself. "I…they…shoes…wouldn't…knots…" Reno looked down as his socks, blushing dark.

Sephiroth chuckled and undid the knots with ease, glad that he wasn't the only one who was nervous about the date they were going on. He handed Reno his shoes with a smile, "Did they deserve to be tossed down all those stairs?"

"It loosened up the knots for you, didn't it?" Reno took his shoes back, glad that his tongue was fueled with enough humor to get him past his embarrassment. If he wasn't able to laugh the moment away it would plague him for the rest of the night.

"Well maybe the shoes just like me better? Maybe you don't untangle them right." Sephiroth watched as Reno sat and tugged on his shoes, enjoying the way his tied up hair drifted over his shoulder in a long red river, dripping all the way down his chest to reach his navel as he bent over to re-lace his unwieldy shoes.

Reno laughed and tied his shoes, feeling Sephiroth's eyes on him, judging his every move. "Maybe they're just shoes."

"Perhaps." Sephiroth smiled, feeling glad that their personification playtime was over. He offered Reno his hand once the red-head was done tying his shoes and helped him to his feet. "Are you ready to go?"

Reno nodded and blushed softly, noting the way Sephiroth's touch jolted his senses and made them tingle, more alive and aware of the skin pressing against his palm than they had ever been. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Sephiroth smiled, trying to decide whether or not to let go of Reno's hand. Before he could make the decision, Reno's thin fingers slipped from his own as the red-head nonchalantly lead him to the car, obviously trying not to run. Sephiroth smiled and followed, perhaps they weren't ready for hand holding yet.

* * *

**Author's Note: I love this story so much! I hope other people love it too, because I, unfortunately, have very little time left for much writing and the waits on updates may take longer. I'll try and kick out the chapters faster, but I've got three other stories to work on and I have work just about every single day. Sadly, it was easier to write while I was in college and working than it is to write now when I have no school and work. My new job loves me and they give me about 30 hours + per week when I'm only supposed to have 25. It makes for a good paycheck, but sadly it keeps me from writing as much as I'd like.**

**Oh, and I was listening to Kamelot while I was writing this and I realized that, no matter how many times I listen to any of their songs, they still give me chills. Good chills, not bad ones. Go listen. It'll blow your mind. I suggest listening to Abandoned if it's going to be the first song you've ever heard by them. Trust me. It's good. **

**Would I ever lie to you, dear readers?**


	8. Chapter 8

Reno chewed his lip and watched the red-light in front of Sephiroth's car. Like the man's hair, the car was silver and elegant; two characteristics that made Reno feel afraid to touch anything. He had never been in a car so luxurious before, he didn't even have a car of his own, and it was a bit daunting to know just how far apart on the social ladder he and Sephiroth really were. Sephiroth was an established professor at a prestigious university and had his own home and car, while Reno was a waiter and a student who shared an apartment with two other people and, after paying his bills, had no excess income to spend on a car or an upgrade in living status. It made Reno worry that he and Sephiroth wouldn't be able to relate on anything and that their conversations tonight would be limited to small talk about the weather. Reno hated to talk about the weather.

Sephiroth could sense Reno's unease, but he attributed it to nerves, not a feeling of inadequacy. If Sephiroth was honest with himself, he felt just as uneasy as Reno did. His stomach was a tangled mess of knots, just like Reno's shoes had been, but he gave the credit for the sensation to hunger, not nerves. The silence in the car didn't make him feel tense; it just made him turn up the radio a little louder so it didn't seem so pressing. If he ignored the fact that his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, he could attribute all his nervous symptoms to something other than anxiety.

Sephiroth parked at Josephine's and had hardly moved enough to unbuckle his safety belt before Reno had sprung from the car. He found himself laughing as he exited his car, locking the doors behind him. Reno stood and blushed, the pent up energy in his system evident from the way his legs twitched. "Are you alright, Reno?"

"I-I'm fine." Reno blushed and waited for Sephiroth, trying his hardest to look like he didn't want to run. He couldn't help, however, that his legs twitched and burned with the desire to run. He didn't want to run because he didn't want to be with Sephiroth, he wanted to run so he could calm down and talk to Sephiroth without stalling out and sputtering out noise like a scratched record. Reno did everything better after physical activities. Maybe for their next date, if tonight went well enough for them to have another one, he would ask Sephiroth to go running with him? No, maybe he should just start running a mile or two before each date so he could act less skittish.

Sephiroth smiled and gently took the crook or Reno's elbow in his hand when the red-head refused to budge from his spot. It seemed that Reno was having a hard time keeping his jittery nature under control and was focusing so hard on slowing down that he had glued himself where he stood. Instead of finding it annoying, Sephiroth was surprised to find that he was amused by the quirk. "Let's eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Reno nodded and walked, forcing himself to match his pace to Sephiroth's, hopefully when he got more comfortable with the man he'd be able to walk properly. Right now he was fairly sure his nerves were the reason his legs were refusing to start moving at his command. That, and maybe the fact that since Sephiroth touched his elbow his mind had focused on the spot so that he could be sure he absorbed every sensation his elbow received from the gentle gesture. He forced his thoughts up to his brain and formulated an answer carefully, rehearsing it twice before he sent it out of the factory and onto his tongue. "I'm definitely ready for some food."

"A table for two, please." Sephiroth smiled and nodded at the hostess of the restaurant, letting her seat them. She was kind enough to give them a corner table at Sephiroth's request. Sephiroth always wanted to sit with his back to the wall so that he could observe the whole restaurant. He liked to people watch and it made it extremely difficult for people to sneak up on him. Not that people snuck up on him often, he just enjoyed being aware of all that surrounded him.

There weren't many options for seating in the restaurant as the place seemed like it was packed with people, yet Sephiroth was pleasantly surprised by the amount of elbow room he and Reno had at their table. Even though nearly every table was occupied, the noise level in the restaurant was no louder than the music Sephiroth had played in his car. It was loud enough to set a background tempo, but not loud enough to distract or make conversation impossible. It would simply fill any silences in their conversation that evening. Sephiroth sat with his back to the wall, instantly giving himself a mental slap. Maybe he should have pulled Reno's chair out for him? Was that polite to do to men, or would Reno be insulted by the act? Well, it was too late anyways. If he tried to pull the red-head's chair out now, Reno would fall on the floor and he would most definitely be insulted. Sephiroth cleared his throat and took a menu from the waitress, trying to keep from looking awkward as he struggled with dating etiquette. He was sure that, if he had a moment to do so, he would be calling Genesis to beg for the help the man had offered. "What do you suggest, ma'am?"

"Well tonight we have a special on our homemade soup. It's pretty tasty." The waitress smiled and handed Reno his menu.

"What's in the soup?" Reno looked through his menu, not able to focus on anything but the pictures as his nerves made no sense of the printed words. Even his horrid attempt at writing the other night at the restaurant had been more legible than the printed menu drifting in and out of focus in front of him.

"Potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, bacon, cheese, celery, all sorts of good things like that. It's got everything." The waitress put a basket of bread and butter on their table and poured out water, her voice saccharine sweet. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Sweet tea, please." Sephiroth folded his menu, unable to make sense of the words in front of him. He was finally admitting his defeat at the hands of anxiety, the issue concerning his tact with pulling out Reno's chair had left him baffled. Unlike Reno, he was still able to read the menu but there was a large difference between reading it and understanding it. He knew went with the pot roast, he just wasn't able to figure out how everything went together. Had it said the pot roast was smothered in potatoes, or the steamed vegetables? Neither option sounded right, but he knew both were part of the dish and since they all ended up in the same place anyways he shouldn't care how they went together, but he was fairly sure he'd get odd looks if he tried to voice his concerns over vegetables coating his potatoes instead of gravy.

"I'm fine with the water." Reno folded his menu, thinking that the soup sounded like the best option since he didn't know what he wanted and couldn't manage to read the menu to try and figure it out. He wasn't a picky eater anyways, if it was put on his plate and it wasn't an onion or raw, he'd probably eat it.

"Are you boys going to have the soup tonight?" The waitress smiled and pulled out a notepad and pen, poised and ready to take their orders. Reno was a little jealous of her composure; when he was at work he felt like he was a chicken with its head cut off, running around without any idea as to what needed done first. If not for Debra he wouldn't get anything done.

"I think I will. Will you, Reno?" Sephiroth looked at Reno, preparing to hand the waitress his menu.

"Yeah, sounds good to me." Reno handed the waitress his menu, blushing as he and Sephiroth made eye contact. If he had thought himself brain-dead before, now that he was gazing into those sea-green eyes his mind was definitely mush.

"Two soups then." The waitress took their menus and walked off, bringing Sephiroth his tea with a happy smile a few moments later. "It'll be out in a few minutes okay?"

Sephiroth nodded and looked at his tea, wondering if he should have stuck with water like Reno did. Maybe Reno didn't like tea, and would scoff at his tea obsession. A man who didn't drink tea was not a man for Sephiroth. Maybe he shouldn't worry about that now? Maybe he should worry about that, it was a deal breaker for him but, should it be a deal breaker for him? He'd ask Genesis later, but right now he needed to focus on what actually mattered; the silence. At the rate things were going, they'd be halfway through dessert before either of them thought up anything to say that was remotely interesting.

"What are you interested in?" Reno stirred the ice cubes in his water with his straw, listening to them clink together against the glass. He surprised himself by being the one to initiate conversation.

"Quite a few things, so maybe we should narrow interests down to a particular subject? Maybe something in the entertainment department?" Sephiroth desperately needed something to entertain him now, his hand shook as he reached for his tea. He quickly stilled it, not wanting to spill the precious tea.

"How about books? Books are a form of entertainment, right?" Reno looked up, glad that Sephiroth was looking down so he could stare a little bit without feeling foolish.

"That depends on the book." Sephiroth smiled, looking up at Reno and trying not to blush as he found his date staring at him intently. Was Reno staring at him because he had something in his hair or on his face? Would it be polite to excuse himself to go check and see if he still looked appropriate? No, they had only just breached the threshold of conversation, if he walked out now they'd never get any talking done.

"So we should talk about a good book then, right? Maybe that one that's being made into a movie? You know the one about the vampires and the werewolves and all the other random crap?" Reno sipped at his water. He hoped Sephiroth didn't realize that he wasn't actually talking about a real book, not one that he had ever read anyways. He couldn't think of a book he had actually read but he knew vampire romances were popular reads and the chance that one was being made into a movie was high. Reno wasn't into reading stupid vampire stories that all had the same plotline. There were a few variations, but the generic formula was usually the same. Vampire loves mortal, mortal loves vampire, werewolves and or other vampires get involved, people die, other vampires and or werewolves learn a lesson in tolerance and allow the mortal and vampire to be together, vampire turns mortal into a vampire and they live happily ever after for all their immortal lives. It was sappy and cliche enough to make Reno puke.

"Oh, that one? I wasn't aware they were making it a movie." Sephiroth had no idea what book they were talking about, and he was fairly sure Reno didn't either. He was just glad they could talk about something. He needed Reno distracted so that the man wouldn't have a chance to stare at him long enough to realize that his sleeves were awkward.

"Yeah, it's supposed to have that one actor in it? That one that's also a singer?" Reno looked at the bread on the table, feeling his stomach rumble with hunger. He didn't want to be the first to dive into the free bread, however. He was fairly sure he'd look like a pig if he ate the bread and Sephiroth never touched it. Then again, maybe Sephiroth was waiting on him to take the first slice, like he had waited on Reno to make conversation? Well, if that was the case, neither of them were getting bread because Reno had already gone first at something and it was very definitely Sephiroth's turn to lead.

"Oh, right, that one. I'm not sure I like him. He's overrated." Sephiroth grabbed a slice of the bread and took a bite, mostly so he wouldn't have to listen to his stomach growl at him. He hadn't eaten since a bagel he'd smothered in cream cheese that morning and he didn't want to wait on the soup. Besides, he needed something to do with his hands. He was sure he would look like a fool with his hands folded in his lap and he couldn't drink all his tea down at once, even if he got free refills he simply couldn't do it because then he'd spend the rest o the night in the bathroom peeing and checking to make sure he looked okay after he peed and he had already had a mental conversation about spending unnecessary time in the bathroom.

"Yeah, he's pretty annoying. Always holds front page on the tabloids." Reno grabbed a slice of bread after Sephiroth did, the desire to fill his rumbling gut overwhelming.

"Still, that movie sounds interesting, doesn't it?" Sephiroth wiped his napkin against the corners of his mouth, the crust of the bread was quite flaky and he could feel that crumbs had spilled off the bread and onto his face.

"A little bit, yeah." Reno chewed on his bread, sighing happily as it soothed the angry growling of his stomach. "The special effects looked cool in the previews."

Sephiroth smiled and finished his bread, deciding that it was too messy for him to want another piece. "So you aren't completely against vampire movies then, hmm?"

"Personally, I think vampire movies should be full of guts and blood and none of that crappy romance." Reno sipped at his water, wiping his fingers on his napkin.

"So, you've got something against romance now?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and sipped at his tea.

Reno blushed and cleared his throat softly. "No, I just have something against stupid romance."

"Ah, that…sort of makes sense." Sephiroth sat back as the waitress set their soup in front of them. "Thank you, ma'am."

"So problem, hun. You boys enjoy and let me know if you need anything else." The waitress smiled and walked off, leaving Reno and Sephiroth to their somewhat forced small talk.

Reno grabbed his spoon and began eating his soup, delighted by the taste. "This is delicious!"

Sephiroth followed Reno's lead and began eating his soup, nodding in agreement. "It is delicious."

"I wish I could cook like this." Reno mused aloud as he ate.

"You work in a restaurant and can't cook?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow as he ate. The conversation was flowing easier now, but the food would put a stopper on things as their mouths would be busy.

"No, I can cook; I just can't cook anything good. It's why I'm a waiter, not a chef." Reno chuckled softly.

"Ah, that would make sense." Sephiroth smiled.

For awhile they let the conversation stop, both focusing on the food in front of them rather than the person sitting across from them. It was more comfortable that way, as Reno wasn't blushing and second guessing his actions and Sephiroth wasn't over-thinking any part of the conversation. They both had smiles on their faces when they finished the meal, sitting back and turning their eyes on each other again as they each contemplated how to restart the conversation. Neither wanted to go back to talking about imaginary movies and looking each other in the eye had glued their tongues to the roofs of their mouths. The silence stretched until the waitress brought them the check, which Sephiroth took care of before Reno could make a move to do so. He may not be sure whether or not he should pull out Reno's chair, but he knew he had to pay the check or he'd never get a chance at another date. Besides, Genesis and Angeal would slap him senseless if he didn't pay for the meal.

"Shall we go, Reno?" Sephiroth smiled as he put his wallet back in his pocket.

Reno nodded and stood. "Sure, let's go."

Sephiroth stood and followed Reno out, noting that, now that the red-head was full, he didn't seem like he was going to run a marathon anytime soon. He was glad the other man had slowed down, it made him calm down as well. It was easier to think when the person he was talking to wasn't prepared to run off. He looked at his car once they were outside the restaurant. He didn't want the date to end so early in the evening, but he had no idea what movies were playing and he had no desire to sit in a dark theater watching and hearing other, more confident couples toe the line between civilized conduct and indecency. From the little he knew of Reno, he was sure that doing something involving physical activity or at least some kind of movement would be the best choice for an activity and the public garden across the street from Josephine's was the perfect place for an evening stroll. "Would you like to go for a walk, Reno?"

"Sure, that sounds fun." Reno smiled and tried hard not to blush as Sephiroth set a hand on his elbow again, letting the taller man guide him across the street to the neatly trimmed garden where a few sidewalk lamps were starting to flicker to life as the sun dimmed on the horizon.

Sephiroth walked evenly down the cement path strewn with crisp autumn leaves, Reno held by his side by a small amount of pressure on his elbow. Reno seemed to have more trouble resisting the urge to sprint off again as they walked through the rows of flowers and trees and Sephiroth decided that if he got the man talking again, perhaps he might have an easier time relaxing. "So, what are you majoring in, Reno?"

"I'm trying to get my bachelors in engineering right now." Reno smiled; glad to have something to say that, for once, wouldn't be embarrassing.

"Oh? What do you plan to do once you have your degree?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. His class was not required for Reno's major, so it seemed peculiar that Reno would have taken the unnecessary two prerequisite courses so that he could take his unnecessary class. It had to have put the red-head behind in his major and the cost of the classes, without a scholarship, would have been extraneous and extravagant. It made him suspicious of the red-heads motives. Perhaps he was a stalker? No, stalkers might put a lot of effort into seeing the people they stalk, but since Sephiroth's office was easily accessible to students and Reno could have easily stalked him without spending excess money and time to take his course, he doubted that Reno was taking his class to stalk him. Perhaps he just liked history?

"I want to be a pilot. It's been my dream since I was five." Reno's face took on a dreamy pallor and he looked ahead, almost as if he was conjuring up the scene he was about to describe, almost as if he could touch the details he was about to put into words. "See, my dad took me on a helicopter tour of Midgar and it was so beautiful, so amazing, that all I've ever wanted since is to be able to do it again. Except I don't just want to sit in the helicopter and look around, I want to control the helicopter. I want to be able to fly past the birds and the clouds and show them all whose boss. I want the sky to be my kingdom and the helicopter my moving castle. Flying is the most wonderful feeling in the world."

Sephiroth blinked at Reno, surprised by the way he described his future plans. He had never been able to see anything in his future the way Reno did, he was never able to simply look at the ground in front of him and replace it with the specter of his dreams. "It sounds poetic."

Reno blushed, feet itching to take to the ground so fast that he could almost launch himself into the sky. "Sounds kinda cheesy to me, but I can't help it. It's all I have ever been able to see myself doing for forever. What made you want to start teaching?"

Sephiroth shrugged. "I just like to teach and history is important. If people don't know about what happened, they won't know how to move forward in a way that prevents a repeat in history."

"So, you want to teach people about the past to save the future?" Reno raised an eyebrow, blushing softly as Sephiroth's eyes caught his own.

"You could say that." Sephiroth smiled as he looked into Reno's aqua eyes, noting the way the streetlamps cast his own reflection back at him, almost as if there was a mirror swimming in those blue pools that kept him from gazing any deeper into the red-heads mind. "So why did you take my class? It's not required for your major, is it?"

"No, it isn't." Reno flushed, feeling like he was spilling a dirty secret. "I kinda took it just so I could see if you were as good a teacher as everyone says you are. I saw you around campus a lot and got curious about you. I'm not stalking you though, I promise!"

Sephiroth laughed. "I don't think I accused you of it. I was just curious why you'd spend so much time and money just so you could take my class. Curiosity doesn't normally warrant three several hundred dollar classes."

"Scholarships are the only reason I'm able to take your class." Reno smiled, feeling proud that he was smart enough to get free money.

Sephiroth smiled, strangely relieved by the fact that Reno hadn't delved into his own funds to take his class. "Scholarships are good things. If you want I'll help you prepare an essay for one of the big dollar history scholarships. Of course, I'll just be a reference guide, you'll have to do the work, but I'll guide you as well as I can."

Reno beamed. "You'd really help me get a scholarship?"

"Of course, I'm a teacher; I help students as often as I can. You'll have to get a minor in history, though." Sephiroth smiled and looked into Reno's eyes, trying to see past the mirror he was reflected in.

"I already have the credits for a history minor because of your class!" Reno felt so grateful he could have kissed the man, but it was their first date and there were several boundaries he would be breaking if he did. Hell, even a hug was out of the question right now. Once they were comfortable enough to at least hold hands he'd give Sephiroth a thank you hug for the help he was offering.

"That's wonderful. I'll e-mail you the requirements for the essay and maybe next Friday you can give me a rough draft or outline of what you think you would like to write about?" Sephiroth smiled, noting that Reno no longer felt like he was going to run away if he said a wrong word. Instead the red-head seemed likely to burst at the seams with joy.

"That sounds great!" Reno was having a hard time containing his excitement. Just wait until he told Rude! Rude would be so jealous! Well, maybe Rude would just give him a thumb up and go back to whatever school work he was doing. Zack! Zack would be jealous. He could rub Zack's nose in his possible scholarship all day long.

Sephiroth smiled and lead Reno through the garden, moving his hand from Reno's elbow to Reno's hand and hoping that the red-head would not resume his previous skittish behavior. "It's a date then."

Reno blushed dark and let Sephiroth's large hand envelop his narrow palm, glad that the poor lighting disguised the severity of his blush. "It's a date."

They walked in silence for a time, Reno's heart pounding through his ears and Sephiroth's brain straining for answers to his many questions. Should he squeeze Reno's hand slightly or just have his hand be limp? Should he lace their fingers together or was that too forward? Was the silence stretching on too long, or did he need to let it linger on a little longer? How long did silence have to last before it was considered awkward anyways? Was there a guideline to conversational pauses? When should he get Reno home? It was getting dark and neither of them had a curfew, but would it be wise to stay out too late? When was too late? Midnight? Ten? One in the morning? If he got Reno home by eleven o'clock, which gave them three more hours of time to spend together, if Sephiroth's watch was correct, would he be over-extending the time he spent with Reno? Maybe they should cut their date short and go home after they finished walking the gardens? But that wouldn't do, the gardens were small and Sephiroth wanted to spend more time with Reno now that the red-head seemed acceptably calm. Well, not calm, per say, but perhaps, less nervous? Whichever it was, Sephiroth liked the red-head in his current state and wanted to keep him there. The calmer Reno seemed, the more transparent the mirror Sephiroth saw in his eyes became. Sephiroth wanted to see what Reno kept hidden in his aqua irises and he knew more time together with the man would be the only way to delve into the depths of his eyes.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, the date isn't over, but I felt bad about making you all wait so long and I want you to have something to sate your appetites for Sepheno. Hopefully my schedule will calm down sometime and allow me to finish off some of my other stories so this one can become a priority. Signed-with-an-Ecks, you have officially planted one of the most awesome plot bunnies ever! **


	9. Chapter 9

Reno sat in Sephiroth's car, hands pressed to his thighs as he tried to think of something to say. It was nearly midnight now and he was getting tired, the main reason why Sephiroth had decided that they should end their date and go home. They had spent a few hours walking around the small garden, not really talking about anything at all but simply enjoying each others company. After they had finished in the garden, they had walked along the sidewalk near the restaurant and window shopped, giggling together at the ugly clothes on display at a tacky boutique and eventually going into one of the shops to get some ice cream so they could have an excuse to sit and talk for awhile. Now Reno was feeling more than comfortable being in Sephiroth's company, but he was still worried because he knew next to nothing about the man or how he thought the date had gone. Reno had thought it had gone well and the fact that they planned for more time together already was encouraging, but he had no idea what Sephiroth thought.

Sephiroth parked outside Reno's apartment complex and sat for a moment, knowing that his pause was awkward. Did he walk Reno upstairs? Would it be polite to do that? Should they just part ways with a goodbye or was the night successful enough that he had earned himself a kiss? If he did get a kiss, should he kiss Reno's cheek or lips? He would rather kiss him on the lips, but what if that was too forward? Oh gods, now he looked like a moron and Reno was staring at him, waiting for him to unlock the doors so he could get out.

Sephiroth smiled and unlocked the doors, stepping out of the car and into the brisk night air. He made sure his hair was out of the door before closing it, he had made the mistake of not checking for his hair once in his life and he would never ever do it again, and he walked around his car to join Reno on the other side. Reno offered him his hand and Sephiroth took it, sighing in relief that he didn't have to decide whether or not to take Reno upstairs because Reno had obviously decided it for him already.

Reno blushed and led Sephiroth up the stairs to his apartment, wondering how they should end the night. He wanted a kiss, but he didn't want to have to ask for it. If Sephiroth didn't give him one, he wouldn't take one, no matter how badly he wanted to. He stopped at his door and turned his back to it, thinking they had reached the apartment too early. "This is me."

Sephiroth nodded and smiled. "I thought it was your door, but okay."

Reno blushed and smiled. "You know what I meant!"  
"Yes, but you're fun to tease." Sephiroth smiled and kept a hold on Reno's hand, not sure if he should let go or not.

"I am?" Reno raised an eyebrow.

Sephiroth nodded. "Yes, you are. You get all blushy. It's cute."

Reno blushed darker and smiled. "Well…thanks then."

"You're welcome." Sephiroth felt Reno's hand start to slip from his and he panicked slightly. Had he said the wrong thing? He didn't think that Reno looked offended, but it was dark and he couldn't tell for sure. He was rather surprised that the hallway was so dimly lit; he would have assumed that all apartment buildings were like the first one he lived in, cold and overlit at night.

Reno shuffled his feet and set a hand on the doorknob. "So…I'll uh…see you on Monday?"

Sephiroth nodded. "Yes, see you then."

Reno started to turn the doorknob and Sephiroth panicked, not wanting the red-head to leave just yet. He had to get his kiss first. He knew he at least wanted a kiss, even if didn't deserve one. Sephiroth set his hands on Reno's shoulders gently and dipped his head in for a kiss, lightly trapping Reno's lips with his own. He let the kiss linger for a moment, just a long enough moment that, when he pulled away, he had made enough contact that he could lick his lips and taste Reno's on them.

Reno felt himself stiffen slightly as Sephiroth grabbed his shoulders, not sure of what to do in response, but he went weak in the knees and felt his spine turn to jelly when Sephiroth's mouth pressed against his. He gave a small sound of protest when Sephiroth pulled away too soon and shyly tiptoed up to steal another kiss. When Sephiroth didn't pull away he cheered inside and gently held Sephiroth's cheeks, keeping the kiss going longer. He pulled away when he needed to breathe and a quick check on his pulse told him perhaps he should have pulled back sooner. He let his hands fall from Sephiroth's cheeks and smiled sheepishly, realizing that he had most likely been too bold. "G-goodnight, Sephiroth. See you in class."

"Y-yeah…See you in class, Reno." Sephiroth backed away from Reno's door, eyes focused on the thin lips that had just boldly latched themselves onto his.

Reno shakily unlocked the door and slipped inside the apartment, knowing his face was the brightest red it had ever been. He pressed his forehead to the back of the door, using it to support himself as he waited for his legs to stabilize enough for him to walk to his room and collapse into bed.

"Hey, red, you dyin' over there?" Reno shuddered as the callous sounding voice broke his blissful inner bubble to pieces.

Reno turned and frowned, his blush nearly gone as he saw Rodney sitting on the couch arm beside Rude. "Why the hell are you here?"

"Tutoring." Rodney grinned, holding up a video game controller.

"Sure as hell doesn't look like tutoring." Reno frowned, walking over to look at the television.

"It's physics tutoring." Rude punched buttons with his thumbs, shooting tiny aliens that crossed the screen.

"So is Rodney teaching you what can't happen in physics?" Reno scoffed, watching green blood splatter across the screen.

Rude nodded. "Something like that."

"Why are you out so late, blush face?" Rodney really didn't have a knack for anything clever at all.

"None of your business, retard." Reno frowned, going to the kitchen to grab a can of pop.

"Someone must've had a disappointing night to be such an asshole first thing when he gets home." Rodney raised an eyebrow, eyes glued to the television screen.

Reno frowned from the kitchen, grabbing his pop from the third shelf of the fridge and noting that the macaroni he had been trying to save had turned a disturbing green color. He left it there and cracked open the pop can, turning back to the living room. "Actually I was having a great time until I found out your ugly ass was in here."

"Easy, Reno." Rude frowned and jabbed at buttons.

"Yeah, easy, Reno." Rodney grinned peevishly and jammed buttons with the heels of his thumbs.

Reno frowned and sipped at his drink. "Well you two enjoy your killing game."

"Hey, before you stomp off to bed, pissy-pants, how was your date?" Rodney grinned, peeling his eyes from the television screen.

Reno paused, tensing on the spot and spinning in his tracks. "Rude, did you tell him I had a date?"

"Yeah, but he never said who with." Rodney grinned and lounged back against the couch. "So who was it?"

"Not your business!" Reno frowned and looked at Rude. "You, sir, are an asshole. You KNOW how he gets when he thinks I'm dating again!"

"You are dating, aren't you?" Rodney grinned.

"It's never going to happen, Rodney. Give it up." Rude sighed as his character died.

"You don't know that, I've got a shot so long as he's looking for a boyfriend." Rodney grinned and stood, stretching out the cricks in his back that sitting for hours playing games with Rude had caused.

"Not a chance, Rodney. I'm not into you." Reno frowned and walked to his bedroom.

Rodney grinned and called after Reno. "Not yet, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve!"

Reno rolled his eyes and slammed the door to his room shut, locking it securely. He set his can of pop on his messy and cluttered nightstand, shedding his clothes and flopping onto his unmade bed. He had to forget all about Rodney's hopeless attempts to get his attention; he had a good night to reminisce in.

Sephiroth walked down to his car, blinking furiously to try and clear his head. His thinking had gotten a little fuzzy when Reno had tiptoed up to recapture his lips and he knew he had to reorient himself before he began driving. He sat in his car, staring at his odometer with blurry vision that he desperately tried to clear so he could safely drive. He slid his phone out of his pocket and pressed Genesis' speed dial, resting his forehead on his steering wheel.

The phone rang a few times before Genesis' voice rang out through the earpiece. "I was wondering when you'd break down and call for advice. What happened?"

"The date is over now…I need coffee…and possibly a designated driver I can't focus my eyes enough to see." Sephiroth rubbed his forehead, eyes shut.

"Ah, first date jitters finally crashed ya huh?" Genesis laughed, making Sephiroth frown at the lack of stock Genesis put in his seriousness. "Take some deep breaths and if you've got a mint have it. Then just wait until you can calm down and if you want coffee come to my place Cissnei and I are just finishing up here."

Sephiroth nodded. "Thanks, Genesis. Sorry I was a dick earlier."

"No problem, we'll chalk it up to pre-date jitters." Sephiroth could hear genesis' smile through the receiver and it helped calm him.

"See you soon, Genesis." Sephiroth hung up and dug through his pockets, unwrapping a peppermint hidden amongst his pocket change and lint.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Yay the date is done, but rest assured the drama is not!**


	10. Chapter 10

Sephiroth drove to Genesis' house, going slow so he could focus on the road ahead of him. The radio was blaring music, no longer the classical tape he had been listening to when Reno was in the car, but symphony metal music that ripped at his ears and made him smile. No one would guess it, but Sephiroth was a metal-head at heart. A good metal song could lift the corners of his mouth no matter what the reasons for his frown were. Now the songs just added to the blissful bubble he already had in his chest. Reno had left quite the impression on him and he realized as he parked at Genesis' house that he couldn't wait for their next date. He was anxious to learn more about the young man and to learn more about himself by doing so. He had already learned that he had no idea how to date people.

Sephiroth locked his car and walked up to the house, blinking as he watched Genesis usher Cissnei out, not having met her before. She was a sweet looking girl with curly brown-red hair and creamy skin, but outside that Sephiroth really couldn't see much of her to describe as currently, her face was busy being lip-locked with Genesis. Sephiroth paused and waited for them to finish up, not wanting to intrude, but realized that he looked like a creeper standing in the middle of Genesis' yard in the dark. He sighed and finished walking up the yard, glad to see that Genesis was pulling away and he wouldn't feel too uncomfortable barging in on them. "Good evening."

Cissnei jumped and blushed, turning to Sephiroth and smiling sheepishly. "Hello, professor! Good to see you! Professor Genesis and I were-"

"Save it Cissnei, he knows. It's alright." Genesis smiled and nodded at Sephiroth.

Cissnei sighed in relief and smiled genuinely at him, extending her hand to him. "I'm Cissnei, nice to meet you in person!"

Sephiroth smiled and shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Cissnei. Sorry to intrude on your date."

Cissnei smiled. "It's alright! We're finishing up anyways." She pecked Genesis on the cheek and smiled. "See you later, Genny."

Genesis blushed softly at the pet name but smiled anyways. "Bye, Cissy."

She took her turn at a blush and left, leaving Genesis and Sephiroth to stand in momentary awkward silence. Sephiroth cleared his throat, fighting a chuckle. "Are you going to let me inside, Genny?"

Genesis frowned and opened the door for Sephiroth. "Oh shut-up. You're going to get a sappy nickname someday too."

"And I give you full right to abuse it if it's ever used in your presence." Sephiroth chuckled and stepped inside, taking his shoes off.

Genesis smiled and shut the door. "So you wanted some coffee, right?"

"I definitely need some. French vanilla or hazelnut?" Sephiroth set his shoes by the door and stretched. He knew the only two flavors of coffee Genesis had and, while they weren't his favorites, he would drink either without protest.

"Hazelnut of course." Genesis led Sephiroth into the kitchen, his socked feet padding softly across the wooden floor. He started a pot of coffee brewing and then sat at the table, grinning widely. "So, what happened?"

Sephiroth sat across from Genesis and stretched. "Well…We went on a date?"

Genesis rolled his eyes. "Something had to have happened for you to be here instead of at home. What was so awesome or terrible about it?"

"Nothing terrible, at least I don't think so, but the awesome bits were…awesome?" Sephiroth was truly terrible at spilling out juicy facts.

Genesis couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose and squint his eyes as mental pain washed over him at Sephiroth's sudden stupidity. "I meant, what was good or bad about it? I wanted details."

"Oh, right." Sephiroth smiled sheepishly. "Well, we went to Josephine's and had dinner, he seemed pretty nervous the whole time but he kind of lightened up once we got to talking and didn't seem so skittish anymore. Then we went walking through the gardens across the street and then we window shopped and had ice cream and then I took him home."

"What do you mean by skittish?" Genesis raised an eyebrow.

Sephiroth rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "He acted like he wanted to run. It was quite endearing actually. It wasn't like he was scared, but more like his mind was going about a thousand miles an hour and his body wanted to run to keep up with it."

Genesis snorted and poured them coffee as the pot finished brewing. "So he was nervous and cute is what you're telling me?"

"Yes, that's what I'm telling you." Sephiroth chuckled softly.

"Well, that's good, I guess." Genesis passed Sephiroth coffee. "What did you talk about?"

"We talked about his future plans and I learned that he wants to be an engineer." Sephiroth ran a finger around the lip of his mug.

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "Your class isn't required for an engineering degree. None of your classes are. What the hell is he doing in your class?"

"That's what I asked." Sephiroth chuckled softly. "He said he took them to see if I was as good a teacher as he heard I was."

"So he spent a bunch of money to take your class on a whim?" Genesis scoffed softly over his coffee.

"No, he said he used extra money from scholarships to take them." Sephiroth smiled, glad that Reno wasn't an idiot and was able to get free money from the school.

"Oh, that's good then. Otherwise it'd be creepy." Genesis snorted.

"I offered to help him with a scholarship. Not do it for him, but give him ideas for it and proofread the essay he'd have to submit. Is that good or awful?" Sephiroth looked at Genesis earnestly, wondering why the ethics behind the move hadn't occurred to him when he had made it. Mostly he had been preoccupied with trying to gaze into Reno's soul, he thought.

"That's fine; just don't write it for him. I've helped students I was a fuck-buddy with get scholarships before and nobody cared. Hell, I'm helping Cissnei with a ten page paper right now. She's still struggling through topic choices though." Genesis smiled at Sephiroth kindly, trying to make him feel better. "You'll be able to figure out what is acceptable and what isn't by watching Angeal and Zack. They've kept their relationship hidden for a good while. I'm not even sure how long they've been dating."

"Really? You don't know?" Sephiroth blinked.

"Nope, no idea. I have guesses, but they probably aren't right. However long it is, it's long enough that Angeal is comfortable with taking him to his mother's house. He's planning a trip for this summer, did you know?" Genesis cocked his head to the side and looked at Sephiroth quizzically.

"No, I didn't." Sephiroth smiled, "I'm glad they're happy though."

"Same. Angeal deserves it." Genesis smiled and sipped at his cooling coffee. "So, what else did you do on your date?"

"Not much, but we've got another one planned for Friday." Sephiroth smiled, "It's not really a date, more like I'm reading his rough draft for his essay and going over it with him."

"That's boring as shit." Genesis wrinkled his nose.

"I've never been accused of being exciting." Sephiroth snorted.

"But that's really, really boring. Even for you. That's not a date, that's a meeting." Genesis warmed his coffee.

"What do you suggest I do then? I thought sitting in my office talking would be a good way to spend time." Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, confused why his idea of a date didn't meet Genesis' standards.

"Take him out to lunch? Or dinner? Or something that isn't just sitting in your office talking? Something romantic?" Genesis sipped his re-invigorated coffee happily.

"There's nothing wrong with just talking, Genesis and I can be as romantic as I'd like in my office. It'll be fine." Sephiroth shrugged and sipped his coffee.

"And if someone else decides to be romantic to him while you're busy talking?" Genesis warned, looking at Sephiroth pointedly. "Then what do you think he'll do?"

"Genesis, we've only been on one date. It's not like we're head over heels in love or anything, we're just getting started. Take it easy." Sephiroth frowned.

"Sorry, I just don't want to see you get this tugged out from under your feet because you beat around the bush instead of being direct with him." Genesis stood and rinsed out his coffee mug. "You done with your coffee?"

"Yes, I am." Sephiroth brought Genesis his mug and sighed. "I'll be fine, you know. I can handle this."

"Says the man who spent an entire day sitting in his office crumpling a love note because he didn't know how to handle it." Genesis scoffed as he washed the mugs clean.

Sephiroth frowned. "Wow, way to be a bitch, Genesis."

"Hey, I call it as I see it." Genesis smiled and set the mugs upside down on a towel to dry. "Let's call it quits for tonight. You're getting grumpy at me again."

"Sorry." Sephiroth cleared his throat, realizing how angry he had sounded. "I didn't mean to be rude. I'll see you at work, okay?"

"Sure." Genesis smiled and led Sephiroth to the door. "Just remember what I suggested? Keep in mind that for every one relationship you've had, I've had four, and that I might know a little more about dating than you?"

"That's why I have you on speed dial, Genesis, so I can ask the stupid questions while pretending to take a bathroom break on a date." Sephiroth smiled and pulled his shoes on quickly.

"Right. By the way, next time you might want to actually use that excuse so you can take a breather. It's not rude." Genesis held the door open for Sephiroth.

"I'll try to remember that." Sephiroth stood and walked out. "Good night, Genny."

"Leave before I shoot you. If you tell Angeal about that, I will show Reno pictures of that Christmas party three years ago." Genesis frowned.

"You told me you destroyed them all!" Sephiroth turned and stared at Genesis in horror. The pictures the red-head was referring to were photos of the first time Sephiroth had ever been drunk and he had not handle his liquor well.

"No, I said I got rid of them. By that, I meant that I hid them in a scrapbook somewhere in my house for later use as blackmail." Genesis smiled wickedly and shut the door, leaving Sephiroth standing on his doormat with a look of abject horror.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since I updated this story. I've been soooo busy! Thank you for your patience, since summer is here the story should pick back up with regular updates.**


	11. Chapter 11

A loud and jarring beep resounded throughout Reno's room as his alarm clock did its best to wake him, succeeding only enough to make him roll over and grumble. The alarm kept blaring its obnoxious tune, waking the only person who was able to wake Reno; Rude.

Rude frowned and ripped the blankets off of Reno's bed, glad that his best friend no longer slept in the nude. "TURN IT OFF!"

Reno snorted and sat up, flailing his arms in defense as he was forced into consciousness by his fight or flight mechanism. After a few blinks, he realized that his life was only in immediate danger if his alarm clock kept singing its wretched tune. He slammed a hand on the buzzer with a yawn. "Why'd ya yell?"

"Because I was having a fucking awesome dream before you're damned alarm clock woke me! I'm pissy!" Rude tossed the blanket he had wadded up in his fists into Reno's face, turning on his heel and stomping back to his bedroom. "It's your turn to make breakfast!"

Reno swore and rubbed his eyes. He hated when it was his turn to make breakfast. He stood, pulling up his slipping boxers, and made his way to the kitchen. He hated that he kept managing to get thinner; his boxers never fit right. He couldn't bring himself to keep buying new pairs, however, so he dealt with his loose, loose boxers.

Reno stumbled groggily into the kitchen and ran his fingers through his hair a few times as he searched through the cupboards. Reno knew what he would make for breakfast, mostly because it was the only thing he could cook that was consistently edible, but he liked to look through the cupboards as if he was thinking of making a gourmet meal instead of breakfast. He grabbed a pan and bowl and the box of instant pancake mix that was sitting on the counter, getting to work. Rude would bitch at him for cooking without a shirt again, but Reno didn't give a damn. He was too tired for clothes.

As Reno prepared to flip the first pan full of thin, small pancakes, he felt a chill run up his spine. He turned and frowned, blushing softly as Rodney stumbled into the kitchen, his wavy brown hair falling over his eyes. Reno suddenly felt very, very aware of the fact that he was half naked in the kitchen. "What the hell are you still doing here?"

"I spent the night, sexy." Rodney smiled and sat at the table behind Reno. "Whatcha makin' me?"

Reno frowned and turned back to his pancakes, thinking it was best if he ignored that Rodney was in the room staring at his nearly nude body. "Pancakes. Go away."

"But the view is so much better where I'm sitting." Rodney smiled and rubbed his hair out of his eyes. "You need to get new boxers, Reno."

"I know that, asswipe!" Reno frowned and tossed the pancakes onto a plate, setting it on the table. "Just eat and shut up!"

Rodney chuckled. "I love how feisty you get. Especially when you're blushing from the ass up."

Reno frowned and turned back to his pan, pouring in more batter. "Shut up, Rodney. Just eat, alright?"

Rodney smiled and did as he was told, leaving the kitchen in silence for a little while.

Reno kept cooking, intent on making all the pancake batter he had prepared so that they could have pancakes later for lunch. It was what he did every time it was his turn to make breakfast. He wished Rude would wake back up and come to the kitchen to control Rodney and save him some embarrassment, but he was sure Rude was back to whatever dream he had been having.

Reno yelped as a set of hands settled themselves on his waist, nearly tossing his pan full of pancakes into the air. "What the fuck!"

Rodney chuckled and pressed against Reno's back, holding his waist firmly. "Calm down, it's just me coming to give you a reason to blush some more."

Reno frowned as he felt a blush creep up the back of his neck, flipping his pancakes so he didn't burn them. "If your hands aren't off me by the time these bastards are cooked, you're going to get a hot skillet to the face. Got it?"

Rodney nuzzled his ear, whispering softly. "I've got a little time to make you melt then, huh, Red?"

Reno shivered and grabbed a pancake with his spatula. "Forget cooking them, I'm slinging this in your face now."

Rodney grabbed hold of Reno's hand and restrained the battery flapjack of justice that the red-head wanted to send into his face. He kept his lips close to Reno's ear and kept his voice husky and low. "Don't waste food, Reno. It's poor taste."

Reno felt his breath hitch as he struggled with the spatula, unable to regain his control over the cooking implement. "Fuck, why are you stronger than me?"

"Because I fight when I have problems instead of running for dear life." Rodney chuckled and pressed his nose to Reno's hair gently. "You smell good."

"Get off me!" Reno frowned and, giving up on freeing his poor spatula, rammed his elbow backwards into Rodney's stomach. As Rodney gasped for air, Reno pulled himself out of Rodney's embrace and high-tailed it to Rude's room, yelling as he went. "RUDE! RODNEY IS MOLESTING ME AGAIN!"

Rude frowned as Reno stopped at the foot of his bed. He sat up, his eyebrows pinched together with rage. "One, you interrupted the dream again, you fucking fucker. Two, if you wear clothes he won't fucking molest you."

"Yes he will! This isn't the first time and I usually do wear clothes!" Reno frowned and crossed his arms over his chest with a pout. "And screw your dream! Unless it's about a blonde bombshell giving you three million gil if you marry her and offering to give you three of her supermodel friends for fuck buddies, I really can't feel bad about interrupting!"

"What about a blonde giving away money and hookers?" Rodney peered into Rude's room, holding his stomach.

Rude frowns. "Reno's being stupid. Rodney, why can't you keep your damned hands to yourself?"

Rodney shrugged and slung an arm over Reno's shoulders. "I'm a masochist. I like feisty, sexy, bad boys who just end up bottoming and begging for mercy. It's my weakness."

Reno frowned and tossed Rodney's arm off his shoulders, turning around and punching him in the gut with all the force his stringy arms could muster. "Fuck you! Now leave me the fuck alone, I have pancakes to cook!" Reno stomped from the room, his brow creased deeper than Rude's had been when the bald man first woke up.

Rude watched as Rodney doubled over and curled up on the floor, cradling his stomach gingerly. He laughed, "I really don't feel bad for you, idiot. You keep asking to get beat up."

Rodney grinned up at Rude, his face mixed with pain. "He's starting to like me, I can tell!"  
Rude rolled his eyes and slid out of bed, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to leave Reno and Rodney unsupervised. "What part of him beating on your and swearing at you makes you think he likes you?"

"He didn't immediately knee me in the crotch this time." Rodney laughed and rolled onto his back, stretching out. "I take that as a move in the right direction."

Rude stepped over Rodney, shaking his head. "You're hopeless."

* * *

**Author's Note:** **This chapter was so much fun to write! It's so cute! Don't worry, we'll get back to the Reno/Sephiroth portion of this story very soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

Reno was eating a lunch of leftover pancakes by the time Zack got home. The raven haired man was a mess, his hair a tussled bed of spikes and his clothes obviously put on in a hurry. Reno raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you were going to make it home. Angeal usually drops you off at nine in the morning, doesn't he?"

Zack sat by Reno, grabbing a syrupy pancake off of the redhead's plate with his fingers and biting into it with a goofy grin. He winced, sitting on his chair stiffly as he munched on his pancake. "Last night was the best night of my life!"  
Reno waited for Zack to elaborate, but it seemed that Zack's first mission was to scarf down all of Reno's lunch. He cleared his throat and tried to reclaim his lunch, stabbing his fork in the middle of the pancake stack before Zack could attack the thin goodies again. "Well? Details, man! Details!"

Zack grinned stupidly, his eyes shining with glee. "Angeal took me to the beach and we went fishing off the coast and we swam and we had such a great time! We capped the whole day off with a night full of sex. I wore him out so bad he didn't wake up to his alarm this morning. It was wonderful."

Reno smiled and passed Zack his pancakes as the blue eyed man gave him puppy dog eyes, begging for them. "Well, from the sound of it you need to get your strength back up before work tonight."

"Hell yes, I do! I rode him like a rollercoaster, Reno." Zack stuffed Reno's pancakes into his mouth with glee, his eyes shining impishly.

Reno laughed. "That was more information than I needed, but good for you, Zack." Reno got up and cooked the last of the pancakes for himself, watching the plate rotate in the microwave. Reno was easily entertained by spinning things.

"Oh! So how was your date with Seph?" Zack spoke through a mouthful of pancake, his manners ruined by his excitement. Had Rude been in the room, the raven-haired man would have a lump on the back of his head for his carelessness.

"Fantastic. We had dinner and walked around town and talked and I think we really hit it off! We're going to meet on Friday in his office to discuss a scholarship he thinks I qualify for and I think I'm going to try and set up another date with him then." Reno smiled, removing his plate from the microwave right before the timer beeped, feeling a little like he had dodged a bomb by avoiding the loud, annoying beep of the microwave.

"Awesome! What are you going to try and go do together?" Zack finished his, or rather, Reno's pancakes and licked the fork clean of syrup, eyeing Reno's new plate of pancakes greedily.

"I don't know. Maybe go see a movie?" Reno guarded his plate from Zack with his forearm, shielding his lunch so that Zack couldn't steal it again.

Zack watched Reno's plate, waiting for an opening to strike with his fork and nab a pancake. "Well, what movie? I you take him to see Loveless or some other sappy romance you're done for. He hates those. He only tolerates them for Genesis because he feels like he has to. He and Angeal both hate sappy crap like that."  
Reno kept his guard up, eating over his plate as he furrowed his brow in thought. "Well, maybe an action movie? Maybe I'll just let him pick. It'd be the best manners, right?"  
"Yeah, sure." Zack's stomach rumbled and he grabbed an apple out of a bowl of fruit on the table, still watching Reno's plate for a chance to strike.

"Oh, and next time I have a date with him, don't leave me with Rude. He's not helpful with the whole outfit picking thing." Reno taunted Zack by eating his pancakes extra slowly, grinning with a prankster's hateless malice as Zack's stomach growled.

Zack pouted. "Well, you can't blame him. He doesn't ever go on dates."

"Well, he should at least know how to dress for one." Reno ate, finishing his pancakes without giving Zack a chance to steal any.

Zack ate his apple, passing Reno his empty plate. "Well, so should you. I mean really, you're how old now? You need to learn to dress yourself, stupid."

"Oh, shut up, Zack." Reno rolled his eyes and put their dishes in the dishwasher, looking at the clock. "You better sober up, loverboy, we've got work at one o'clock."  
"Yeah, yeah. Don't rush me, Reno!" Zack smiled and stood, wincing as he straightened out his back. "Oh, by the way, where is Rude?"  
"He went to Rodney's house. Rodney was being an asshole so I kicked him out and Rude followed. I fucking hate Rodney." Reno frowned and shut the dishwasher harder than was necessary.

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much." Zack laughed, walking to his room.

"Don't start! You know he's a douchebag!" Reno frowned and followed Zack. "I don't hate him because I secretly like him or some shit!"  
"He seems to think that way. If you didn't whine so much about him he wouldn't like you as much. You know that, right?" Zack grinned at Reno, knowing full well that the redhead hated Rodney but continuing on the same thread of conversation because Reno had been greedy with his pancakes.

"I'm not going to suddenly start being nice to the dickhead, alright? You know why I don't like him so don't be a jerk about it." Reno frowned and leaned against Zack's doorframe as the man got ready for work. Reno was already prepared, his uniform wrinkled but on and clean.

Zack smiled, lightly punching Reno's shoulder. "Relax, Reno, I'm just pushing your buttons." Zack shut his door and got dressed for work quietly, hoping that some of the sex bruises from the night before would be a less angry shade of purple by the time they were done with work that night. He knew full well why Reno hated Rodney and it was part of the reason why he wasn't that fond of the brunette either. Rodney used to hang around with a bunch of prejudiced jocks from a fraternity that Rodney himself hadn't been part of and, because he hung around with them, he had unwittingly joined in on hazing gay students. Once Rodney had realized that people were being targeted for being gay, however, the brunette had stopped, or at least, that was the story he had told them all when he had first become formally acquainted with them. Zack and Rude had believed him, but Reno had kept the grudge. Zack didn't blame Reno, Reno had been beat up by the people Rodney used to hang around with more than once and was still beat up by them on the rare occasions where he was caught off guard and couldn't run away fast enough.

Zack finished getting dressed and opened his door to see Reno waiting impatiently by the door. "You ready?"

"Course I am." Reno smiled, the bad air that had been between them a moment ago because of their talk about Rodney cleared. "You wanna start the cheer or should I?"

Zack laughed, "You do it." Reno and Zack had created a cheer to pump them up for long shifts like the one they were going to work that night. They had made the cheer on accident soon after they had started at the diner and it had been a rather hilarious tradition ever since. Every time they did it, Rude left the room to hide how badly they embarrassed him.

Reno nodded and shouted, a grin spreading between his tattooed cheeks. "WHAT DO THEY WANT?"  
Zack responded in kind. "SERVICE!"

"WHEN DO THEY WANT IT?" Reno pumped his fist into the air.

"AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!" Zack followed Reno's example.

"WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN DEBRA ASKS WHY WE'RE SHOUTING?" Reno shoved his other arm into the air.

"RESUME NORMAL VOLUME LEVELS AND PRETEND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT!" Zack shoved his arm into the air. The first time Zack and Reno had done the cheer was when they had been at the diner and had had no business. Debra had scolded them for yelling and they, true to their cheer, had pretended to be confused by her accusations of yelling. It had earned them each a lump on the back of the head, but it had been well worth the lump for the entertainment value of their new cheer.

They finished their awkward cheer in unison. "NOW LET'S GET OUT THERE AND EARN THOSE TIPS!" They ran from the apartment building, nearly tripping themselves on the stairs in their haste.

* * *

Reno skidded to a stop at the diner entrance, panting softly and regaining his breath just in time for Zack to show up so he could gloat over his victory. "Ha! I won!"

Zack panted heavily, bent double and sweating. "Duh, you won! You run faster!"

Reno grinned and opened the door to the diner, skipping inside with a grin. "Hey, Debra! I made it in four and a half minutes!"

Debra stood behind the bar, cleaning the counter. "Good for you, Red, but you still haven't beaten your record. Zack dead?"

"Nah, he's just being a baby." Reno washed his hands at the sink, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "We don't seem to have a lot of customers yet. What's up?"

"There's a diner down in Sector Seven that's having a buy one get one lunch special. We shouldn't see a lot of business until about four o'clock. That doesn't mean you get to slack though! Elis needs help preparing for dinner service so hop to it!" Debra passed Zack a glass of water as the raven-haired man walked up to the bar.

"Thanks, Debs." Zack guzzled the water and wiped his forehead with a napkin.

"No problem, Pup." Debra resumed her cleaning with a motherly smile.

Reno went into the kitchen and helped Elis prepare for dinner service while Zack cleaned the front room of the diner and served the few customers they had. At four, Reno was released from kitchen duty and split the diner into halves with Zack, each one of them claiming certain tables. As the night progressed, Reno was able to claim most of their regular customers and, much to his surprise, the blonde who had been in the restaurant a few nights previous was back in, his clothing in a similar state of tattered and battle torn. Reno brought him a cup of coffee, working hard to remember his name. "You okay, man?"

"Yeah, Reno, I'm good." Cloud sipped his coffee, his fat lip easily spotted. He had blood on his shirt again and there was a large scrape on his cheek where it looked like his face had been introduced to pavement.

"What happened, Cloud?" Reno gave an internal shout of success as the blonde's name came to mind.

"Got hazed again by the same guys. They told me what for this time, though." Cloud held his coffee with trembling hands.

"Well, what was it for?" Reno passed Cloud a napkin. "Here, your cheek is bleeding."

Cloud pressed the napkin to his cheek. "Oh, thanks. They hazed me because I'm gay. They called themselves Avalanche for whatever reason. Nice, right?"

Reno frowned. "Oh, so it's that set of shitheads?"

"You know them?" Cloud raised an eyebrow at Reno.

"I got my ass kicked by them for the same reason. Did you try to fight them all?" Reno watched Cloud with concern, examining the blonde for any unseen injuries.

"Well, I don't know if I had all of them jump me, but I was able to fight off the ones who did in time to get away before they could get back up." Cloud did a mental tally, holding up his fingers to keep track. "I think there was….Three of them."

Reno gaped in shock. "You took on all three of them? That's so awesome!"

"Three is all there are? I figured they'd have more." Cloud shrugged and sipped his coffee. "Can I get some ice and a burger? No onions on it, please."

Reno smiled and jotted down Cloud's order. "No problem, Cloud. And yeah, they used to have more, but now there are only three of them. They're tough though. You must be stronger than you look to be able to take them all out."

"Well, it wasn't really a fair fight. They were drunk and I'm not so…I had an advantage there." Cloud blushed modestly; obviously uncomfortable with Reno's praise.

"That's still awesome. I'll bring your stuff right out, alright?" Reno smiled and turned on his heel, taking the order to Debra and looking around the restaurant to see if there was anything he needed to do. So far everyone seemed to be enjoying their food and no one on his side of the restaurant needed their drinks refilled so Reno started making an ice pack for Cloud. The blonde needed to learn to run away, in Reno's opinion, because if he kept getting beat up the way he was he would end up with worse injuries.

Debra looked at Reno. "What's up with blondie? He looks rough again."

"The same douches who keep trying to beat me up tried to beat him up. He says he fought back though. Doesn't look half bad for fighting three people." Reno wrapped the ice in a clean, disposable rag that he and all the other servers used to clean tables. "I'm taking him some ice, okay?"

"Go ahead." Debra smiled, serving her customers at the bar.

Reno took Cloud the ice and turned as the door chimed, letting him know there were more customers in the restaurant. He paled when he saw who they were, however, and gulped audibly before going to greet Cloud's tormenters, the group Avalanche, with a weak smile. "Can I show you to a table, sirs?"

The leader, Barret, stepped forward from the group and leered at Reno drunkenly. Reno tried hard not to shrink back or look frightened, but his legs were shaking from more than pent up energy. Barret was huge. He towered over Reno easily and each of his arms was easily as thick as Reno's waist. Barret slurred as he talked. "Table fer three, faggot."

Reno nodded and led Barret to his side of the restaurant, cursing the fact that Zack's was full. The diner was small and didn't have quite enough room to accommodate three rowdy drunks. He hoped they would eat and leave. He didn't care what they said to him, but he knew that they were looking for a punching bag since Cloud had been such a bust. He wanted to dump them on Zack because he knew they thought Zack was straight, which was only partly correct because the man was actually bisexual, but they wouldn't mess with someone they thought was straight.

The three men sat around the table Reno led them to and he passed them all menus, doing a mental survey of them to see what his chances were of getting away if they decided to get rough. Barret was huge, but he wasn't fast. Reno knew all too well, however, what happened if he was caught by those meaty fists. It only took one blow from Barret to knock Reno senseless. Biggs sat next to Barret. Biggs wasn't as big as Barret, but he was still muscular enough to knock Reno on his ass without much trouble. Wedge was practically glued to Biggs' side. The two were practically inseparable. Reno knew that if Biggs got to him, then Wedge would be along to join in his ass kicking shortly. Wedge, however, was fat as hell. There was a lot of muscle under his fat layers, but he was definitely obese and slow. The three of them were drunk and looked like they had seen better nights. Reno allowed himself a small grin as he realized that Cloud was likely the reason Barret's black cheek was puffy and swollen.

"What can I get for you?" Reno kept his voice at the same friendly level he used on every other customer, working hard to keep a twanging stutter of fear out of his voice.

"I wanna beer an three o' these here." Barret slurred, jabbing a large black finger at the menu.

"What kind of beer and what condiments would you like on the burgers, sir?" Reno kept his voice normal, but couldn't hide the shake in his knees.

Barret frowned. "Jus' a beer and three burgers, retard!"

Reno nodded and wrote down the order with a shaking hand. "Alright. For you, sir?" Reno directed his attention to Biggs next, going down the hierarchy of the group so he didn't offend any of them.

"Same." Biggs started tearing open sugar packets for the hell of it, pouring the powder onto the floor. Reno wrote down his order and decided to ignore the waste of sugar.

"And for you, sir?" Reno could almost taste freedom. The orders were nearly complete and then he would get to go to a more pleasant table. He could feel Zack's eyes on him from the other side of the restaurant and he knew the man was watching to see if he needed to intervene.

Wedge blinked slowly as he drew on his menu with his pocket knife, engraving a scattered set of lines into it. "Same?" Reno decided to ignore the vandalism to the menu.

Reno nodded and wrote, his legs shaking terribly. "I'll be right back with your drinks."

Barret grunted. "Better be, bitch. I'm thirstin'."

Reno rushed off to fill the order, sighing in relief when he made it to the kitchen. Zack followed him in and frowned, hissing softly as he spoke under his breath. "What the hell are they doing here?"

"I don't know, but they're drunk as shit. The blonde at table seven got jumped by them earlier too. He was just telling me about it." Reno passed Elis the ticket he had written for the Avalanche table and started grabbing beers.

"Want me to take the table?" Zack reached to take the beers from Reno's hands.

Reno shook his head. Even though the men wouldn't get violent with Zack, they would still be difficult and would taunt Reno anyways for abandoning their table in fear. "No, I've got it. I can handle it just fine, okay? If they start getting too crazy then I'll get Palmer."

Debra stepped into the kitchen with a frown. "Reno, you better get out there. Your customers at table three are getting loud. Put something in their mouths to shut them up."

"Sorry, Debbie, I'm on it!" Reno carried three beer bottles out to the table quickly.

Barret was arguing with his cohorts, his voice rising quickly. "Shut it, Biggs, I don' wanna hear it!"

"Yer getting' soft, Barret!" Biggs was slurring and Reno could tell he was wasted. He would never try to stand up to Barret while sober. "The bastard is right there, why not clobber him?"

Reno paled for a moment, thinking they were talking about him, but when Biggs pointed a thick finger at Cloud Reno found it easier to approach the table. He set the beers down and pulled a bottle opener out of his half apron to remove the tops, but Barret stopped him, slapping his hand away roughly and knocking the opener onto the floor. "Don't touch ma beer, faggot! I can open it maself!"

Reno nodded and bent down to get the opener, shaking softly. He could hear Biggs continuing above him. "Why so scared ta let the fag touch yer beer, Barret? Afraid yer soft enough ta catch the gay?"

Reno backed away from the table quickly, nearly tripping over his own feet as he went. People around the diner were starting to stare and Debra beckoned Reno to her with a flourish of her wrist. Reno rushed over to the bar. "Y-yeah, Debs?"

"Kick them out. They're ruining everyone's dinner. Tell them the drinks are on the house, I'll take care of that, but get them out!" Debra set her hands on her hips. "If you can't make them leave, I'll call Palmer out. You try first, got it?"

Reno nodded; feeling like Debra had just written his death sentence. He passed her his bottle opener, his pen, and the spare silverware that was wrapped in neat bundles in his apron. "Alright, but keep hold of these."

Debra raised an eyebrow and took the contents of Reno's apron. "Why?"  
"Because it's best if I don't have any sharp objects within reach when I tell them to hit the highway." Reno straightened and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

Barret stood, slamming his hands on the table. "Shut it, Biggs, or I'll teach ya what pain is!"

Biggs stood, eye to eye with Barret. "Oh yeah? Ya couldn't hurt a fly! Ya couldn't even touch the little blonde faggot we keep tryin' ta get!"

"You couldn't either!" Barret growled loudly.

"I got a hit or two on 'im!" Wedge spoke up proudly, raising his beer.

Biggs and Barret turned to Wedge in unison, "Shut it, Wedge!" They looked at each other and the duo began laughing drunkenly, sitting back in their seats.

Reno gulped and stood at the side of the table, trying to get their attention. "Sirs?"

Barret frowned at Reno. "What, faggot?"

"You need to leave." Reno kept his shoulders squared as he met Barret's angry gaze.

"Says who?" Barret stood, looking down at Reno with a dark frown.

"My boss, sir." Reno felt his legs quake beneath him and he tried to still them, wanting to run more than anything.

Barret grabbed the front of Reno's shirt, pulling Reno off his feet easily. "Ya know, faggot, we're gonna have problems if ya try an' order me aroun!"

Reno gulped, grabbing at Barret's meaty fist to try and unclench it. His eyes went wild seraching for a way out, looking to his left to see Zack stepping forward and to his right to see Cloud rising from his seat, the ice pack abandoned on the table. Reno versus Avalanche wasn't a fair fight, but if Zack and Cloud were joining in, then they might have a chance of escaping with minimal amounts of damage. Reno felt his courage build at the sight of his support and he frowned back at Barret, pressing his thumb into where he thought a pressure point was in the man's wrist to try and loosen his grip. "You have to leave. Now."

Barret frowned and kept his grip on Reno's shirt, pulling his other fist back to prepare a vicious blow. Reno braced himself for the blow, his courage quickly dissipating as he was unable to find the spot in Barret's wrist that would make the man drop him.

"Sir, if you don't put my employee down this instant, I'm going to call the police." Reno's savior, the fat, ugly, constantly sweating Palmer, had stepped into the metaphorical boxing ring that had been created in the diner.

Barret frowned at Palmer, his fist still cocked for a blow. "Who are ya?"

"The owner." Palmer reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, the device looking small inside his flabby hand. "Drop him or I dial."

Barret looked at Reno with a frown and dropped him, making sure he shoved back a little so that Reno wouldn't be able to stay on his feet. "Come on, guys. We'll get 'im later."

Biggs and Wedge stood, grabbing their beers and following their leader out of the restaurant without a word.

Reno staggered back, blinking as he was caught by an unfamiliar set of arms. He looked behind him and smiled as Cloud set him back on his feet. "Thanks, Cloud."

"No problem." Cloud took the liberty of straightening Reno's shirt gently.

Reno blushed at Cloud's kindness and turned to Palmer. "Thank you, sir."

Palmer smiled at Reno, exhibiting the first sign of friendliness the redhead had seen since the day he and Zack had been hired. "I'm glad they left." He showed Reno his phone. "I was out of battery. That was a complete bluff."  
Reno laughed and smiled back at Palmer, his knees still shaking. "I'm glad they were too drunk to notice."

Palmer nodded and looked around the restaurant. Many of the customers had left money on the table and ran when things at table three had started turning violent and now the diner was nearly empty. The few customers who had stayed were taking their seats again and resuming their quiet meals. Palmer nodded at Reno and Zack. "Collect the checks at the tables that cleared out. Tell Debra to put any surplus change in the tip jar and to make a count for any tables who left without paying."

Reno and Zack nodded, getting started right away. Reno took a moment to thank Zack for trying to intervene and was notified by the hyperactive man that he owed him a beer for his troubles. Cloud took his seat again and waited for Reno to bring him his meal, pressing his ice pack back to his lip.

"Thanks for trying to help me out." Reno set Cloud's meal in front of him after he had collected his tickets, smiling brightly.

"No problem. I'm always glad to help out." Cloud tried to smile, but his swollen lip hindered the action.

"Well, aren't we hero material?" Reno laughed and looked at Cloud's empty mug. "I'll bring you some more coffee, okay?"

Cloud nodded and started eating quietly.

Reno went behind the counter to get a fresh pitcher of coffee, noting the way Debra looked at him and turning towards her with a raised eyebrow. The look she had on her face was a mix of amusement and concern. "What?"

"Nothing. Just think that you flirting with blondie is funny. You okay, Red?" Debra was still ringing up the hastily paid for orders that Zack and Reno had brought to her.

Reno smiled and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not flirting and I'm fine. Not a scratch on me."

"They don't go after you often, do they?" Debra patted his hand and looked at him, her kind eyes searching for a truthful answer.

Reno laughed and squeezed her shoulder. She was such a mother sometimes. "No, they don't. They can't catch me so they don't normally go after me."

"Good." Debra smiled and pushed his hand away. "No get back to work, slacker!"

Reno smiled and went back to fill Cloud's mug with fresh coffee.

* * *

When the night service was done, Reno and Zack parted ways for the evening. Angeal picked Zack up at the door and drove him away for what Reno only assumed was going to be another great story from Zack, leaving Reno to walk home alone. He never ran when he was going home at night because, in the past, running at night had made police officers single him out as a suspicious character. Reno didn't want to have to have Rude bail him out of jail again, so he walked. He walked quickly, because he wasn't able to walk any other way, and he stuffed his hands into his pockets. It was cool out and a light breeze was spreading goosebumps along his arm. He tugged his hair out of the messy ponytail he had it in and stuffed the hair tie into his pocket. He drank in the wind as it wrapped around him and, for one of the few moments of his life where it happened, he had little trouble resisting the urge to run. The urge was still there, it was an essential part of his makeup, but he was able to disobey it and walk calmly.

The moments of calm were shattered; however, as a beer bottle was tossed into his path. Reno blinked as the bottle shattered against the wall of the building next to him and turned in time to see Barret's fist heading for his face. He ducked the blow in time to save his nose and turned on his heel, having the time to scream out for help before running headlong into Biggs. Biggs grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and spun him around, gripping his upper arms tightly and pressing them to his sides. "Got 'im, boss."

Reno struggled to get away but his thin arms were unable to break loose from Biggs' hold and he could only squirm in vain as Barret and Wedge stalked closer. He screamed at the men, his voice breaking with fear. "Let me go!"

"Hell no, you'll run away." Wedge snickered and cracked his knuckles, knowing that tact dictated he let Barret, the alpha dog, land the first blow.

"That's the point, dumbass!" Reno frowned and went limp on Biggs, forcing the man to hold up is dead weight, not that his weight amounted to much. Reno was too thin for his own good.

Barret grinned and pulled his fist back. "Hold 'im still, Biggs, I'm gonna crack his face wide open!"

Reno looked around wildly, knowing that screaming again wouldn't help since no one had come to his aid the first time. He watched as Barret's fist started plunging through the air towards his face and quickly acted to save his precious nose, thrusting both feet upwards and diverting the blow into Biggs' face instead.

Barret wasn't prepared for Reno's kick in his drunken stupor and, as his fist collided with Biggs' nose instead of Reno's, a comical look of confusion and surprise spread across his face. Reno winced at the loud crack of fist meeting skull over his head and, as Biggs released his arms to grab his face in pain, he bolted towards his apartment complex. There was no way he was going to get another chance to escape if he was caught again.

After a few loud yells echoed behind him, Reno could hear heavyset feet chasing after him. It seemed that tonight Avalanche was out for blood and Reno, having caused them a problem earlier, was their target. Avalanche terrified Reno more than any of the other people he had had bully him in the past. Reno was afraid of them because they didn't know when to stop. Reno had heard stories growing up about people who had beaten gay men and women to death simply because they were gay and he knew instinctively that Barret, Biggs, and Wedge had such an ingrained loathing for gay people that they would feel no remorse for killing someone who was gay. Reno was actually pretty sure that they were the kind of people who would brag about it afterwards. They didn't see people like Reno as humans; they saw them as nuisances.

Reno ran as fast as he could, the footsteps behind him ringing in his ears as he finally made it to his apartment complex. He felt relief at first, and then despair. He couldn't lead them straight home! They would know where to find him if he did! Reno almost cried when he ran past the front door of the apartment complex and kept going, his legs burning as he started gaining ground. If he was able to lose them, he would be able to go home. He looked around for a crowded place, for any crowded place, and found none. He cursed the town of Midgar for having no night life outside of Sector Six.

* * *

Reno's shoes slapped the pavement, his breath echoing in his ears as he ran. He couldn't tell if Avalanche was still following him, but he didn't want to take the chance of getting caught off guard so he kept running. He could see a gas station in the distance and felt tears of joy rush to his eyes as he saw a large neon sign that read '24 hour convenience store'. There would be someone there. He would get help. He would call Rude to come pick him up and take him safely home. He would escape!

Reno ran to the gas station, his lungs burning. He had run halfway across Sector Six, dodging in and out of alleyways and weaving through empty streets. He had thought about running to Shinra University, but he knew that the chances of someone being there to help him were low. As he entered the well-lit parking lot of the gas station he slowed his pace to a jog, his chest heaving and his lungs burning. He looked around, not spotting any vehicles except for one large, gorgeous motorcycle. He took a pause to stare at the bike, finding room for awe in his fear-ridden brain. The bike was beautiful. The black metal shined in the buzzing fluorescent lights of the gas station and Reno could see his sweating, panting face reflected in it. He looked like a mess. His hair, which he had let down to cascade over his shoulders, was tangled and looked rather wild. He face was drenched in sweat and his cheeks were bright red from all the exertion he had done. He shook his head and wiped his face on his sleeve, stepping into the gas station with shaking legs.

Reno walked up to the counter, tucking his hair back behind his ears. There was a glass shield between him and the clerk and he rapped on it with his knuckles to get the attention of the man staring at a television set in the back of the small room behind the counter. The man looked up and hefted himself to his feet, walking slowly to the glass shield and sliding it open so that he could speak to Reno. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, do you have a payphone or something in here?" Reno panted at the window, his lungs still rushing to pull in the amount of oxygen necessary for him to function properly.

"Reno?"

Reno blinked and turned as he heard a voice behind him. Cloud was standing behind him, a bottle of brown soda pop held in one leather gloved hand. "Cloud?"

The man behind the counter cleared his throat to regain Reno's attention. "We don't have a payphone anymore, but you can probably ask your buddy there if you can use his phone." The man slid the glass shield shut, turned on his heel, and walked back to his chair to resume watching the television in the corner. Reno had to shake his head at the man's disregard for the well-being of the store he was in charge of.

Cloud walked up to Reno and raised an eyebrow; his cheek had finally stopped bleeding. "You okay? You look like hell!"

"Nice to see you too, Cloud." Reno smiled genuinely and, had he had the extra air for it, he would have laughed. "Hey, I hate to bug ya, but can I borrow your phone to call my roommate? I promise it's not long distance or anything."

Cloud dug into the pocket of his black denim jeans for his phone, still looking at Reno with a mixture of shock and surprise. "Sure. Did you run here?"

"Yeah. It's a long story." Reno rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. The burn in his lungs was starting to go away and for that he was thankful, but he wished it had stayed so that he would have an excuse for why his face was so red. He was blushing for no good reason that he could find, except well, maybe for the fact that Cloud looked damn good in snug black jeans and a tight black sweater. He was surprised he hadn't noticed the blonde's good looks in the restaurant that night, but he supposed that it had been because of how focused he was on the Avalanche crew.

"I've got time. Do you need a ride or something?" Cloud passed his phone over to Reno and set the drink he had been planning to buy down on the counter. The man behind the glass moved a lot faster when there was something being bought, Reno noticed.

"Well, yeah. It's okay though, I'll just ask Rude. He shouldn't mind. I wouldn't want to intrude too much on your evening." Reno accepted the phone from Cloud and opened it, wishing he hadn't left his phone at the apartment. He hated taking it to work, though. The urge to text while on the job was always infuriating and he didn't have it when the phone wasn't on him.

Cloud paid for his drink quickly. "I don't really have any plans. It wouldn't bother me. Don't bother calling him; I'll just take you home." Cloud reached over and snapped shut the phone, taking it from Reno's hand.

Reno blinked and let go of the phone without a fight, noting with mild concern that the usual warning flags for taking a ride home with a stranger weren't popping up in his head. He wasn't being as wary as he should and he knew it, but he didn't really care. Cloud had been nothing but nice to him so far and he really had no reason to question the blonde's motives. He smiled appreciatively. "If you really want to, that'd be great. Thanks, man!"

Cloud smiled and Reno felt his blush deepen. Not only was the blonde cute, but he had a perfectly straight set of teeth. Reno had been hoping for a crooked front tooth or a bit of yellowing, just so his mild attraction to Cloud would be less. He had to quickly remind himself that Cloud was only an acquaintance and that he was trying to get the most gorgeous man in the universe, Sephiroth, to be his boyfriend. Messing around with the blonde would definitely sabotage his budding relationship with Sephiroth. Cloud led Reno outside. "Come on, you can give me directions on the way and tell me that story of yours."

Reno followed and blinked in awe as Cloud led him to the motorcycle he had been lustfully gazing at earlier. "This is yours?"

"Yeah. I named it Fenrir. Dumb name, right?" Cloud laughed at himself, blushing softly as he tucked his drink into a bag at the back of the motorcycle.

"Are you kidding? This thing is awesome! It deserves a cool name like that!" Reno smiled and did a full circle around the bike to try and appreciate it from every angle.

"You think so? Thanks, Reno." Cloud smiled, digging through the bag carefully. He pulled out a pair of goggles and slipped them on, offering a second set to Reno. "I don't know if they'll fit you right, but they'll shield your eyes from the wind."

Reno smiled and slid the goggles on, tightening them to fit his face. "They fit alright. A little loose, but not bad."

"Good." Cloud straddled the bike and patted the seat behind him. "Hop on."

Reno smiled and climbed on behind Cloud, grabbing onto his shoulders. "I'm ready!"  
Cloud laughed and took Reno's hands, repositioning them around his waist. "IF you don't hold on right you'll fall off. Hold onto my waist, alright?"

Reno was glad Cloud couldn't see his face, because he was blushing hard under the flickering fluorescent lights of the gas station. "Okay, sorry."

Cloud kicked the bike to life and steered them out of the gas station, speaking to Reno over his shoulder. "Which way?"

Reno gave Cloud a brief set of directions, holding Cloud's waist gingerly. The blonde was quiet, but damn was he forward. Reno tried his best to ignore the fact that Cloud had positioned his hands rather low around his waist and focused more on staying on the bike. Cloud took turns at a speed that seemed, in Reno's mind, to be faster than what was safe or necessary. Reno held tighter to keep from falling off and watched his hair whip around his face; he really should have tied it back up before getting on the bike. He was going to look like a wreck once he got home.

* * *

Cloud parked the bike in front of Reno's apartment complex and helped the redhead slide off the back of Fenrir. "So, can you still feel your legs?"

Reno nodded as he stepped off the bike. "Yeah, but I can still feel the bike under me." The vibrating sensation of the motorcycle was still making Reno's thighs jump and he vowed that, one day, he would get a motorcycle. Motorcycles were officially cool.

"That's normal. So, you gonna tell me what happened?" Cloud pulled his goggles off and turned to Reno, his blue eyes full of genuine concern.

Reno shrugged and untangled Cloud's goggles from his hair, trying to remove them with some form of grace. "Well, Barret's crew got pissed at me for what happened in the diner earlier so they tried to jump me while I was walking home. I got away but Barret ran back and got the truck while Biggs and Wedge chased me so I had to do a lot of crazy maneuvers to try and lose them for good. And that's when I found you." Reno passed Cloud his goggles. "Not as long of a story as I thought it'd be, but oh well."

Cloud took the goggles from Reno. "Do you always walk home alone?"

"No, Zack usually walks with me, but his boyfriend picked him up for a date tonight so I walked alone." Reno combed his fingers through his hair, trying to untangle the maze of knots the wind had made.

Cloud took out his phone. "What's your number? I'll call your phone and leave mine so you can call me next time he ditches you and get a ride home."

Reno blushed and raised his hands in protest. "No, no seriously it's okay! I walk home all the time!"  
Cloud rolled his eyes and shut his phone. He pulled a pen out of his bag and grabbed Reno's hand, pulling his sleeve up and writing his number across Reno's wrist. "Just take my number, alright? That way you can call just in case. You're a pretty awesome person so far and I would feel bad if you got hurt because someone wasn't there to help protect you.

Reno blushed and waited for Cloud to finish writing. "You really are the hero type, aren't you?"

Cloud laughed and put his pen away. "I'm not a hero, I'm just nice."

"Well, thanks for being nice." Reno smiled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"No problem." Cloud pulled his goggles back down and nodded at Reno before kicking his motorcycle to life and speeding off into the night in a dark blur of blonde hair and black steel.

Reno smiled and turned on his heel, running up the stairs to his apartment. He hoped that Rude hadn't brought Rodney home again because Rodney would likely try and scold him for being late like he was a petulant, disobedient child. Reno hated it when Rude brought Rodney home.

Reno stepped into the apartment, immediately coming face to face with a very upset looking Rude. Rude frowned down at him, his brown eyes alive with a mix of worry and anger. "Where have you been! I called Zack he said you should have been home an hour ago!"

Reno stepped into the apartment and kicked his shoes off. "I got jumped by Avalanche and had to run for it. That a good enough answer?"

Rude locked the door and walked a circle around Reno, checking him for damage. "No, it's not. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, my arms are bruised up, but everything else is fine. They didn't hit me. They were pretty damn trashed." Reno lifted his sleeve to show Rude the light purple hand-shaped bruise that was imprinted on his forearm.

Rude looked the bruise over and nodded. "That's not too bad. You should recover from that one in about a day." Rude raised an eyebrow and turned Reno's wrist over. "What's this?"

Reno blushed as Cloud's number was revealed, clearing his throat. "Oh, well the guy who gave me a ride back home gave me his number so I can call for a ride instead of walking home alone. He goes to school with us. He's pretty cool."

Rude laughed and let go of Reno's arm. "So as soon as you start dating the man of your dreams another suitor shows up? Rodney will be pissed."

Reno frowned and tugged his sleeve back down. "Cloud is just a friend and who gives a shit about Rodney? He never had a shot in hell anyways!"

Rude rolled his eyes and walked off. "Whatever. Dinner is in the fridge. I ordered pizza."

Reno nodded and went to the fridge, grabbing one of three pizza boxes. "Damn, how much pizza did you need, Rude?"

Rude sat on the couch, turning on a late night talk show. "The delivery guy accidentally brought extras. He let me keep them because they screwed up anyways. I ordered one pizza with four toppings and they gave me four pizzas with one topping apiece. I only paid for the one though. Kinda awesome, right?"

"Hell yeah it is!" Reno didn't bother with a plate and instead took the entire box to the sofa, sitting by Rude and setting the open box between them. "You already ate a whole one?"

"Well, Rodney helped." Rude watched his show with a blank expression, adjusting one of the many piercings in his ears absentmindedly.

"Is he still here?" Reno grabbed a slice out of the box and started chowing down ravenously.

"Nah, he went home. When I called Zack he said something about an incident with Barret's gang and Rodney got upset and left." Rude ran his finger over one of very few blank spaces on his ear. "I think I need a new piercing…"

Reno snorted, glad that the pesky brunette who seemed to be the bane of his existence was gone. "Rude, dude, you don't need any more piercings! Your ear is already a pincushion."

"So? I like piercings. They help me express how awesome I am." Rude rolled his eyes and ran a hand over the top of his bald head. "I can't exactly go dye my hair or anything, now can I?"

Reno laughed, on his third slice of cold pizza. "True, very true."

Reno and Rude sat up for a while longer, Reno eating and Rude watching his show. They discussed various topics, one of them being Reno's infatuation with Sephiroth, and after a lighthearted argument about whether or not Reno was, in Rude's word, "the gayest fuck there ever was", they turned in for the night. Reno sat on his bed, grabbing his phone from his nightstand and looking at his wrist. He smiled and put Cloud's number into his phone. He set his alarm and, after a quick apology to his alarm clock for how hard he was going to hit the snooze button in the morning, he flopped onto his unmade bed and fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, this update took a long time for me to get out, but hopefully the length of it makes up for the wait. Did I just start a love triangle? Maybe. Will this story turn into a Cloud/Reno instead of a Sephiroth/Reno? Not likely, but hey, I just made it possible so we'll just have to see how things turn out. **

**A big thanks goes out to SignedWithAnEcks for getting this story started. Ecks, if you want to see anything in this story that I'm not adding then tell me! It is, after all, still technically your request story!**


	13. Chapter 13

Sephiroth walked along the halls of the University, blinking in confusion at the lack of students, teachers, and anything else. The hallway didn't even look like the halls in the school, but since it was his dream he knew for sure that he was in the University even though nothing looked right. Sephiroth stopped at his office and peered inside, knowing that he was supposed to follow his dream into the room because there really wasn't anything else of interest to him in the area. He slipped inside his office, taking a seat in his chair and waiting for his dream to continue. Sephiroth hated that he dreamed with such lucidity. He wished he could just dream without thinking about what was going on. The door to his dream office burst open and Genesis ran in, a gigantic copy of Loveless in his hands. He slammed it on Sephiroth's desk and, with an evil grin, reached into his pocket, producing two slips of paper. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at them, a chill running down his spine as Genesis smiled wickedly at him. "Sephiroth, I got us tickets to see Loveless!"

Sephiroth jolted upright in bed, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He hadn't expected his dream to turn into a nightmare with such rapidity. A loud meowing made him jump again and he turned on the lamp beside his bed, shrieking in terror as a small, rodent-looking creature tried to regain its footing after having been tossed off Sephiroth's chest by his sudden waking. Sephiroth gathered up his blankets and tossed them over the side of the bed in fear, thinking that a small rat had made its way into his bed. It took him a few fear filled moments to remember that rats didn't meow. Sephiroth pulled his blankets off the floor, dumping the small kitten onto the floor. He shuddered as it regained its footing on his previously pristine carpet and turned towards him, its evil green eyes glaring at him reproachfully for the mistreatment it had suffered at his hands.

Sephiroth frowned at the kitten and tossed his blankets back onto it. It meowed and tried to claw its way out of them as Sephiroth attempted to pick it up without touching it. He held the moving bundle of blankets at arms' length and made his way to his front door, unceremoniously dumping the ratty orange kitten onto his doorstep. The kitten meowed loudly and looked at him, emerald eyes doing their best to adorably bore into Sephiroth's mind to trick him into taking it back into his house. Sephiroth glared down at it and pointed towards his yard. "Shoo! Go away!"

The kitten sat on its tiny haunches and meowed loudly in response. It made no attempt to shoo or go away.

Sephiroth frowned and shut the door in the kitten's smug face, turning on his heel to begin searching for its point of entry. He dragged his blankets behind him like a three year old would, fuming over the interruption to his sleep caused by the nightmare that he blamed on the very innocent little kitten. He hadn't left any doors open and the window he had opened to let in the cool night air had a screen on it that, at first glance, appeared to be intact. Upon closer examination, however, Sephiroth learned that the bottom portion of the screen had detached from its frame. Sephiroth shut the window and closed the blinds. He walked his blankets, which were now filthy from having been dragged across the floor, to his laundry room. After starting the washing machine he went back to his room and checked his floor carefully for any 'gifts' the evil, deplorable kitten might have left for him. Finding none, he practically threw himself into his shower to scrub the kitten germs from himself.

Sephiroth didn't hate animals and despite his violent reaction to the kitten he actually was rather fond of cats. Sephiroth simply hated uninvited guests and stray, possibly diseased kittens were definitely on his list of things he hated having in his bed. After he was sure he was clean he toweled dry and began getting ready for his usual morning run. It was earlier than normal for him to be out and about, but he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep after the nightmare he had had. The thought of going to see Loveless with Genesis had truly become the stuff of nightmares since he and Angeal had spotted the poster's advertising that the play was to be performed, for the fourth year in a row, at the local theater. He would have to write the director of the playhouse an angry letter detailing the reasons why Loveless should be abandoned for a different play.

Sephiroth grabbed his pedometer and hoped the kitten had left; he didn't want it hanging around his home while he wasn't there. He clipped the pedometer onto the waistband of his shorts and peered out his front door, frowning as the kitten meowed at him. The orange thing was louder than any cat Sephiroth had come across. He edged out of his front door and shut it firmly, scooting away from the adorable kitten as it attempted to pounce on his shoelace. He stepped off his small porch and frowned at the kitten. "Will you go away?"

The kitten meowed in response, its tiny eyes blinking innocently as it pretended that it had no idea what Sephiroth wanted.

Sephiroth frowned and started off on his run, hoping that the pest would be gone by the time he finished his usual course.

Sephiroth walked up to his front door, pulling his hair out of the ponytail he had kept it in while running. He smiled at the lack of meowing and opened the door wider than was wise. As he set his foot inside his door an orange bullet shot out from nowhere and charged between his legs. Sephiroth shrieked like a little girl as the kitten infiltrated his home. He ran after the kitten, his door slamming shut behind him. He yelled at it as it dived under his bed, getting down on all fours to try and grab it. He reached a hand over and was rewarded with tiny kitten claws tearing open the side of his palm. He pulled his hand back quickly and peered under the bed, his emerald eyes meeting the large equally green eyes of the kitten. He frowned deeply and showed the kitten his bleeding hand. "Look what you did!"

The kitten licked its paw clean, glaring at Sephiroth. It obviously felt no remorse for its actions.

Sephiroth frowned. "You asshole."

The kitten meowed sweetly, mocking Sephiroth cruelly.

Sephiroth stared at the kitten, racking his brains for ideas. He stood and looked at the clock, frowning at the absurdity of the time. It was early, ridiculously early, but he needed to call in a favor. His bed wasn't going to move itself and as much as he hated the kitten he didn't want to kill it either but, left unchecked, he knew he would be frustrated to the point where he would probably find himself harming it. He grabbed his phone and called Angeal.

"_Hello?"_ Sephiroth blinked at the odd tone to Angeal's voice for a moment before realizing that it wasn't Angeal at all.

Sephiroth frowned. Who the hell was answering Angeal's phone when he had an emergency? "Is Angeal there?"

"_Do you have any idea what time it is?_" Sephiroth frowned. He hated when people asked him that question. It was as if they thought he had no access to a clock or watch.

"I know what time it is!" Sephiroth barked, kicking the bed. The kitten hissed loudly in protest at Sephiroth's outburst. "Just put Angeal on the damn phone!"

"_Fine, fine!_" Sephiroth could hear the muted tones of Angeal being woken and passed the phone.

Angeal's gruff, sleepy voice growled to Sephiroth through the phone. "_Do you know what time it is?_"

"I know what damn time it is, Angeal! I've got an emergency!" Sephiroth peered under the bed again, noticing that the kitten had moved closer to the edge of the bed. He reached his hand under, the one that wasn't pressing the phone to his ear, and was rewarded with the tiny rough kiss of a kitten tongue on his thumb. He made to grab the little beast by the nape of its neck and the rough tongue was replaced by two sets of sharp claws. He ripped his hand back with a curse, new lines of blood raked into his skin. "Dammit!"

"_What's going on, Sephiroth?_" Angeal's voice filled with concern instantly at Sephiroth's swearing.

"There's a horrible, evil kitten loose in my house and I can't catch it to get rid of it!" Sephiroth went to the bathroom and rinsed the blood off his hand, wrapping gauze around the bleeding lines to keep from bleeding on him or anything else. "It's got the taste of blood too. It keeps scratching me. I need your help catching it."

The sigh Angeal let out was audible. "_You woke me up because you're being outsmarted by a stray kitten?_"

"Yes!" Sephiroth frowned, his patience wearing thin.

"_Open a can of tuna, leave it on the floor by the bed, and sit on your bed. When the thing comes out to eat you nab him._" Angeal yawned into the phone and Sephiroth decided to ignore Zack's laughter as it bubbled into his ear.

"Really? That will work?" Sephiroth blinked, going to his kitchen to get the tuna can.

"_If it doesn't, I'll come over and get it out myself. I'm going back to bed now._" Angeal hung up abruptly, his mood obviously sour.

Sephiroth frowned and set his phone on his kitchen table. He had thought that Angeal was a morning person. Apparently he had thought wrong. Sephiroth shook his head and searched his cupboards for a can of tuna, opening it and taking it to his bedroom. As much as he hated the idea of bringing food into his bedroom, he hated the kitten more. He set the open can down and looked under the bed. "You better get your ass out from under my bed, got it?"

The kitten mewled and stretched languidly, not bothered by Sephiroth's attitude problem.

Sephiroth sat himself on his bed and prepared to wait for the kitten to make its move. For the next hour nothing happened and Sephiroth managed to fall back asleep despite his efforts to keep himself awake. He woke to his alarm a few hours later to find that, not only had the tuna been polished off, but the kitten had bravely curled itself up under his chin to sleep. When Sephiroth sat up, he received a mosaic of kitten claw marks across his neck as the orange beast tried to hang on to its sleeping spot. He grabbed the kitten by the back of its neck as it slid down his shirt, holding his neck in pain. "That hurt, you little bastard!"

The kitten meowed loudly and went limp. Its green eyes widened to a nearly irresistible level of adorable and it stared at Sephiroth, trying to gain his sympathy by looking as pathetic as possible.

Sephiroth might have been persuaded by the antics of the kitten had his neck not been bleeding lightly from the razor like scratches the kitten had left. He stood and looked the kitten over, trying to decide what to do with it. The thing was obviously able to find its way back into his home so tossing it into the yard would be a moot point and he would simply come home to find the cat curled up on his bed. He had to get it far away from his home and, more importantly, away from him. He grabbed a cardboard box out of his recycling bin and put the kitten in it, nodding in approval as the kitten curled up and stared at him quietly. It probably thought he was going to throw it into a river or some other such thing, but Sephiroth had no intention of killing the thing. He cut some holes in the top of the box and the side, taping it shut and setting it beside his briefcase. He would give it away at the school. There had to be some student in desperate want of a kitten.

Sephiroth parked in his usual spot and grabbed his things and the abominable kitten before leaving his car. He made his way to the faculty lounge, hoping that he would be able to dump the kitten on a colleague before he had to try and give the awful thing to his students. He was sure the thin red lines running down his neck would not add any appeal to the small kitten mewling loudly in the box he held in his arms.

Sephiroth stepped into the teacher's lounge, setting the box on the table in front of the few people who had showed up as early as he had. He set his briefcase down. "If you want the kitten, take it. He's free." He turned his back and began making coffee, filling a Styrofoam cup with the liquid gold.

Lazard was first to examine the mewling kitten and he opened the box, blinking at the kitten. "It's cute but…Did it leave those scratches on your neck?"

"Neck and hands. It's got sharp claws and has learned how to use them." Sephiroth sipped his black coffee and let the bitter fluid scald his throat. He rubbed his neck, frowning at the tiny kitten as it innocently blinked at him from the box.

Lazard reached a hand into the box to pet the kitten, chuckling as it purred softly. "It's so sweet though."

"I think Sephiroth might just suck with pets." Scarlet sipped at her tea, the bag still sitting in the cup. Her ruby red lipstick smudged on the rim of the cup and Sephiroth couldn't help but notice that the mug, which was blue, seemed to have a faint red line around the edge that looked fairly permanent.

"No, it just decided it didn't want me to sleep without a neck warmer and I disagreed. I've had plenty of pets and they all did just fine. Except for that turtle I had when I was seven, but that was an exceptional case." Sephiroth still felt guilty about the poor turtle he had caught in a pond behind his childhood home. He hadn't realized at seven that, when you put an aquatic animal into water, the water had to be a certain pH level. The turtle had not coped well with the tap water its makeshift tank had been filled with and had died within a week. Sephiroth had cried for days over the poor animal. He laughed at how tender a child he had been.

"Sure, Sephiroth, whatever you say." Scarlet graded the paper in front of her. "Does it have its shots?"

Sephiroth shrugged and sipped his coffee. "How should I know? I just found the thing this morning."

Lazard quickly removed his hand from the box, earning a reproachful whine from the kitten.

"You can't just bring in some diseased animal!" Scarlet's brow furrowed and she moved away from the box Sephiroth had sat far from her.

Sephiroth frowned. "Well I'm not keeping it!"

"Then take the thing to the pound!" Scarlet gathered up her papers. "Don't you dare try to give it to the students, either! I'll tell Rufus you've got it so he can keep tabs on you."

"I'm not taking it to the pound because they'll probably just kill the thing. Anyone ever tell you you're cruel, Scarlet?" Sephiroth sipped at his coffee, his decision to try and give away the kitten not deterred by Scarlet's threat.

"Genesis tells me at least once a week, but that's mostly because I make him work." Scarlet shrugged and adjusted her pinned-high hair nonchalantly, not seeming offended in the slightest by Sephiroth's insult.

"Well, he should tell you more often." Sephiroth finished off his coffee and refilled the cup, adding creamer to the mix this time.

"Whatever. I'm off to tell Rufus you're endangering the students. Ta-ta!" Scarlet wiggled her fingers at him in a mocking wave and left, her heels clacking loudly on the tile floor.

Lazard dried his hands on a spare napkin, having washed them twice after learning that the cat was a stray. "She's right, you know. If it's got no tags, shots, or paperwork, then you can't just shove it off onto a student. You've either got to take it to the pound or get it its shots yourself and then get rid of it. I'd keep it if I were you. It's adorable." Sephiroth glared at Lazard and the blonde smiled, adjusting his glasses. "Then again, it does seem to think you're a scratching post. That's more reason to get it checked at the vet, Sephiroth. Who knows what nasty diseases might be hiding in those tiny little claws? You don't want to get cat-scratch fever, do you?"

Sephiroth gathered up his things. "No, I suppose you're right." He sighed, glaring at Taylor. "Damn. I don't want the evil little thing."

"Don't worry, Sephiroth, once it has its shots you can shove it onto some unsuspecting student. For today it can be your class mascot and you can scope out what students might want it. You might want to find out for sure if it's a boy or a girl first though. It'll be a selling point." Lazard clapped Sephiroth on the shoulder and smiled. "By the way, I've heard a few of your History 311 students complaining about that paper you assigned. Good work! They're groaning more over that than when Hollander made his Biology students do that bug catching project. I didn't think that one could be topped. I'll have to think of a way to outdo you!"

Sephiroth chuckled and brushed Lazard's hand off his shoulder, shaking his head. "I didn't assign the paper so they'd cry about it; I assigned it so they'd do it. I doubt any of them have even started on it yet. It's not due for a week."

Lazard shrugged. "Either way, I'll have to try and assign something harder. I'll let you know the results."

Sephiroth sipped his coffee as Lazard left and stared at the box of kitten that was loudly meowing for attention. As much as he hated the idea of keeping the thing, he knew that, unless he wanted to take it to the pound, he had no other option. He sighed and grabbed his briefcase and the squalling kitten, taking both to his office so he could get prepared for class.

Sephiroth brooded over his coffee as the kitten continued to let out earsplitting yowls for attention. He was naming the thing Taylor. He had only ever met one woman who whined as much as the girl kitten, after careful inspection he had revealed that it was indeed a girl, and her name had been Taylor. He was sure that, to anyone walking past his office, it sounded like he was torturing the tiny animal. He had tried appeasing it by setting a stress ball inside the box for it to play with, but now he wished he had kept the stress ball for himself. The kitten was stressing him out without even having to try.

Sephiroth took the kitten with him to his classroom a half hour early and set it on his desk. He did his best to ignore the thing as he wrote a few notes on the board for the students regarding their upcoming test and the paper they had due. He could feel a headache coming on as the kitten meowed louder and louder in its box. He slid the chalk across the board, yellow dust drifting onto his sleeve as he wrote. Today would be the first day since the date that he and Reno would be social. He wondered what he should say. Maybe Reno would make and excuse to stay late after class so that they could talk? Maybe Reno wouldn't have the time. Sephiroth tried not to dwell on the thoughts about Reno and concentrated on writing. Whatever happened he would be prepared for it. He wasn't sure why he was so worried about whether or not Reno would want to say hi to him. Perhaps he was more self-conscious than he thought?

Sephiroth growled as the kitten yowled at the top of its tiny lungs, slamming his chalk into its tray. He rounded on the evil thing peering out of the box, its tiny white claws clinging to the cardboard, and he picked it up. He frowned at its innocent eyes and sat at his desk, setting it in his lap. "If you meow one more time you're going right back into the box!"

The kitten licked his fingers, ignoring Sephiroth's threat as it curled up on his lap.

Sephiroth pet it grudgingly, glaring at it even as it let out an adorable purr. "You are pure evil."

Sephiroth pet the kitten until the classroom was full of students, waiting to start his class until everyone had filed in. He kept an eye out for Reno, methodically stroking the kitten as he watched his students take their seats and checked their names off on his attendance chart. When Reno entered he did his best to keep his face neutral, but allowed a small smile to pass over his lips when Reno waved to him with a dark blush. His smile drooped to a frown as he noted a large bruise peeking out from just under Reno's t-shirt sleeve. He made a mental note to ask about it after the class was done. How could Reno have gotten such a large bruise since their date? Perhaps he had gotten into a fight? Rodney followed in behind the redhead and glared at Sephiroth, following Reno closely. Sephiroth did his best not to glare back, but he was sure some small amount of malice slipped out of his eyes. He hated the peevish student. Rodney was a brat. Sephiroth shook his head of the bad feeling and stood. It was his job to teach and he didn't have time at the moment to go thinking about his personal life. Excepting, however, the evil, smug little kitten he was now hanging by the scruff of its neck for the entire class to see.

The kitten hung limp from Sephiroth's hand, its eyes wide and innocent looking.

Sephiroth didn't buy the kitten's cute and cuddly act for one moment, but he didn't need to. The students needed to. He cleared his throat and began the speech he had been rehearsing in his head. He wanted to sell the kitten off as a perfect, cuddly companion, but he knew that the bright red scratch lines down his neck were more than a little obvious. He should have worn a scarf to work to cover up the marks. "Students, this is Taylor. I have no idea how old she is or what kind of a cat she is, but once I've gotten her up to date on her shots she will be given away free of charge and diseases." A few of the girls in the class seemed to be going glossy eyed as they stared at the kitten, Sephiroth thought it likely that they were imagining what a happy, loving little kitten the vicious fur-ball must be. He held back the urge to laugh at the idea that the violent four pound puff in his hand was capable of being a good house pet. He continued. "If you would like to take Taylor home, please let me know. She will be given away on a first come first serve basis." He saw a few of the girls who were drooling over the kitten pout over the idea of fighting to be first in line for it. He went on with the part of his speech that he hated most, but was obligated to include. "Note that Taylor is not housebroken. She also seems to think I'm a scratching post. However, if you don't mind taking the time to break her in, I'm sure she'll go from feral to friendly in no time." Sephiroth set Taylor back in the box where she promptly began mewling loudly. He set the box under his desk, hoping that the noise wouldn't carry quite as far as it was. Taylor meowed even louder under the desk and, as Sephiroth straightened and looked at the class in front of him, he noted that the girls who had been drooling over the kitten now seemed to be less than interested in the loud and obnoxious thing. He sighed and picked up his lecture notes. "Try to ignore the meowing. Let's continue where we left off last week."

Sephiroth lectured as loud as he could, trying his hardest to drown out the horrible cat's awful noises, but Taylor only meowed louder to match his volume. He ended his lecture early when Taylor decided to poop in the box, his already bad mood soured even more by the kitten's evilness. There was no way he was going to get rid of it. He made a quick announcement as the students began filing out of his classroom. "If you have your outline for the paper I assigned ready, please get it to me before the week is out if you want me to help you with it. Don't forget that the paper is due next week! I will not be accepting late work!"

Sephiroth's students continued to pour out of his classroom, the mention of the assignment dragging groans from them that were drowned by Taylor's meowing and yowling. Sephiroth picked her box up off the floor and looked back at the classroom, noting that Reno was being harassed by Rodney, again. It had been going on all through class and Sephiroth had been ignoring it like always, but he hated having to ignore it at all. Sephiroth felt a vein in his temple throb as Rodney pestered the red-head, noting that Reno seemed more than capable of handling the situation but less than eager to do so. The bruise Sephiroth had been concerned about earlier made a reappearance as Reno slung his backpack onto his shoulder, a handful of papers in his hand as he stalked towards the front of the classroom, making an obvious attempt to get away from Rodney. Sephiroth tried to look busy so he didn't seem like he was watching the two. He picked Taylor out of the box and busied himself with tossing the box away. He had no idea what he'd keep her in now, but a box full of poop was not a viable option.

Reno frowned and walked towards Sephiroth, intent on handing in his outline. "Rodney, just go away! You've been hovering over me all day! Give it a rest!"

Rodney followed Reno closely, frowning. "I'm not going to give it a rest until you tell me what happened the other night!"

Reno frowned and ignored Rodney, going to Sephiroth and mustering up a smile for him despite the urge to simply turn around and beat the shit out of Rodney. "Here, Professor, my outline." Reno felt his blood rush into his cheeks when Sephiroth took his papers, their fingers brushing lightly and sending a shiver up Reno's arm. Reno tried to swallow down the anxious nerves that seemed to go rampant through his body whenever Sephiroth was near.

Sephiroth smiled and took the papers, holding Taylor in one hand. "Thank you. I'll get it back to you as soon as I can. Oh, I have some information for you on the paper you need to write for that scholarship we talked about." Sephiroth dug through his briefcase, having trouble since Taylor was busily attacking his hand to try and get free from his grasp. He did his best not to swear and passed Reno the papers. "If you can get me an outline or a rough draft for what you want to do by our meeting on Friday that would be great."

Reno smiled and took the papers, letting their fingers brush again just so he could feel the jolt sweep up his arm again. He swung his backpack off his arm with a grimace, trying to ignore the pain that throbbed through his upper arm. He hated Biggs. Biggs was an asshole. He slid the papers into his binder. "Thanks, Professor. I'll get that done for you."

Rodney frowned and grabbed Reno by the arm, glaring at Sephiroth. "Come on, we're going."

Reno hissed as Rodney put pressure on his already sore upper arm. Rodney started to drag him away and he frowned. "Dammit, Rodney, knock it off!" He looked back at Sephiroth and blushed. "Bye, Sephiroth!" He hoped Sephiroth wouldn't read anything into his relationship with Rodney that wasn't there.

Sephiroth blinked, ignoring Taylor's tiny claws digging into his thumb. "Bye, Reno." Why did Reno left Rodney drag him off? Where the hell had those bruises come from? Judging by Rodney's rough treatment of him, perhaps the bruises were the result of a fight they had? Sephiroth didn't want to think about it, but the hand marks on Reno's arms could be sex related too. Maybe they had just been a little too rough? Sephiroth tried not to think about Reno being a player and he focused on detangling his hand from Taylor's evilly sharp claws. He hated the stupid cat.

Reno frowned at Rodney as the brunette dragged him off. "Rodney! That hurts!"

Rodney adjusted his grip lower on Reno's arm, dragging him all the same. "Sorry." Rodney led Reno down the hall, slipping into a deserted classroom with him. He shut the door behind them and pressed Reno against the wall, ignoring Reno's swears of protest. He pulled up Reno's t-shirt sleeve with a frown. "Which one did it?"

Reno frowned as Rodney inspected his arm, his personal space completely invaded. "Biggs, okay? What the hell is the deal, man? You've been bugging the shit out of me more than normal today!"

"Well, I went looking for you the other night when you didn't come home. Rude said something about you showing up with a bunch of bruises and a phone number on your arm and I want to know who did what so I know whose ass to kick." Rodney ran his thumb over the bruise on Reno's right arm gently. "Fuck, did he grab you hard or what?"

Reno winced as Rodney touched the throbbing bruise. "He held me while Barret tried to punch. I got him back though. I think when I shoved Barret's fist into Biggs' face he broke his nose."

"So was it all three of them or just those two?" Rodney ran his hand lower down Reno's arm, pressing closer to the redhead than he was allowed.

Reno frowned and set a hand on Rodney's chest, attempting to shove him away. "H-hey, back off."

"Answer the question. I plan to go teach them a lesson and I want all the damn information before I go. They've been causing problems for us for a while now and I am going to fix it." Rodney kept close to Reno, easily ignoring the redhead's attempts to shove him away. Reno really didn't have much in the way of upper body strength.

Reno blushed in spite of himself and kept shoving at Rodney. "Don't go getting yourself killed on my account, alright? The problem is fixed; they were probably too drunk to remember anything at all. It's not a big deal right now."

"Yes it is. They've been getting more and more aggressive lately and I'm sick of them kicking the crap out of people I know. I'm even more pissed since it's you they went after." Rodney gently took hold of Reno's chin, forcing the redhead to meet his eyes. "Whose phone number was it?"

"It's not your business." Reno frowned darkly, his blush gone. Rodney was pissing him off.

Rodney chuckled and pressed himself against Reno, knowing he would likely get a knee in the stomach for his efforts. "You are my business."

"I'm not your business at all. Just back off. I have to go do homework." Reno felt his eyebrows knit together in the middle as he glared at Rodney, shoving at his chest as hard as he could.

"Fine, have it your way. I'll be coming over again tonight so make yourself pretty for me, okay?" Rodney smirked and let Reno go, surprised that, for once, he hadn't been kneed or punched or bit.

Reno frowned and quickly walked away. "Like hell. I'll do my best to stay the hell out of the house until you leave."

"I'm not leaving, though. I'm staying the night again." Rodney followed Reno out of the classroom.

"That sucks. Why don't you ever go home?" Reno frowned, trying to get away from Rodney.

Rodney did his best to keep up as Reno started walking faster. "Because you're not at home."

"Give it a rest! I don't like you and I never will!" Reno frowned and broke into a jog, sick of being followed. He had had enough of Rodney for one day.

"You don't know that yet!" Rodney laughed and stopped, letting Reno get away from him. He'd catch him at home later anyways.

Reno rolled his eyes and jogged into the middle of the campus, stopping only when he realized that Rodney had given up and gone to his next class. He sighed in relief and slowed to a brisk walk. A few leaves blew across the campus lawn and he smiled as the breeze ran over his arms. He loved autumn. Winter was fast approaching, but for the next week or so Reno still had time to enjoy the perfect weather of his favorite season. Perhaps he would start jogging through the park every day again? He already went running everywhere, but his favorite place to go running was the park. Maybe he'd see if Sephiroth would go on a jog through the park with him for a date? He still had to see about going to the movies with the man, but he had no idea what kind of movie would be a good one to take him to. Perhaps he should just wing it on Friday when he asked and let Sephiroth decide? He shook his head at how worried he was. Even after the long date where they spent so long talking and holding hands, he was still so nervous that his stomach was knotting worse than a pair of headphones in a pocket. He couldn't think of a reason for why he was so nervous, however. Sephiroth wouldn't have kissed him after their date if he didn't like him, right?

Reno ran a hand through his hair and inhaled deeply. He needed to go do his homework so that he could go for a long run without feeling guilty for neglecting his studies. He pulled his hair out of its ponytail and took off for home at a run, his thin soled shoes slapping against pavement. His hair streamed out behind him like a ribbon as he ran; his breathing even and unhindered. The run across Sectors and back home was over before he was ready for it to be and, as he ran up the stairs to the apartment, he felt even more determination to get his homework done so he could go running again. He needed the exercise badly. His legs burned for it.

* * *

**Author's Note: Just so you know, this chapter took me a whole week to write. I actually cut it short because, let's face it, as badly as I wanted to give you a 25 page update, it would be more than a little overwhelming. So here's a 19 page update instead. Sorry for the tardiness of the update!**


	14. Chapter 14

The mewling of the kitten sitting in a brand new crate in his backseat was going to drive Sephiroth insane. Genesis was snickering about the situation in the passenger seat beside him, not seeming to mind that he had been strong armed into helping Sephiroth kitten-proof his home. The choice to house the kitten until he could find it a home was making Sephiroth question his mental abilities as the orange cotton ball continued her loud complaints about being separated from the poor soul she had claimed as her personal scratching post. He still maintained that he was in the right for not wanting to just toss her into an animal shelter for someone else to deal with, but the nice large veterinary bill he had just paid was making him feel a measurable amount of regret for the decision. Between the pain in his wallet, the pain in his head, and the pain in the ass sitting next to him as he pulled into his driveway, he was going to need an aspirin or two.

Genesis had agreed to help Sephiroth with this devilish kitten as best as he could, but he had refused to take her home. By the time Sephiroth had gotten a hold of the man to ask him to adopt the kitten, word had already reached him about that crazy instructor trying to pass off a demented cat as cute and cuddly. Angeal had heard as well and had taken a strangely long and private lunch in his office after receiving the text pleading for assistance. His claim was that he was up to his ears in papers to grade and didn't have the time, but Sephiroth knew better. He knew that the man hated cats just as much as he did. Amongst other things, a love of cats was something that Genesis had to differentiate himself from the two and both claimed he was demented for wanting to have the little curtain-shredders in his home.

Sephiroth unlocked his front door, kitten under one arm and a host of bags dangling from the other hand so that it was difficult to turn the key in the lock. Once the door was opened and the snickering redhead had stepped inside, the remaining bags of kitten supplies in his arms, Sephiroth allowed himself to utter a stress-laced groan. "Gods, I hate this thing. It hasn't shut up since I put it in the damn crate!"

"Aww, she just misses her daddy." Genesis shut the door behind him, setting the bags on the floor and opening the kitten-filled crate in question.

"No! Don't-" Too late. Sephiroth groaned in dismay as Taylor began rubbing against his ankle, mewling loudly. "Dammit, Genesis, I wanted to have at least three minutes to shove it in another room and ignore it so I can breathe!"

"It's a cat, not a toy. You can't just put it away when you're done playing with it." Genesis snorted and picked Taylor up, smiling as she stopped her incessant cries for attention. "See? All better!"

Sephiroth scowled and took the bags to the kitchen to begin unpacking the kitten supplies he had purchased. "She likes you. Why don't you take her home?"

"Hell no." Genesis sat at the table and stroked Taylor's tiny, freshly cleaned and groomed ears." Besides, she likes you better. See? She's looking at you, not me. She only tolerates me."

Sephiroth looked over and, sure enough, Taylor's large green eyes were watching his every move. He frowned and her and unloaded the bags. "Taylor, bite Genesis. Hard."

"You haven't taught her that trick yet, Seph." Genesis chuckled, enjoying Sephiroth's aggravation. "Maybe having a cat will be good for you. You look so damn cute with this lil' redhead curled up in those big ol' hands."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow as Genesis spoke, his baby talk towards the cat and now, shockingly, himself still sounding completely alien on the man's tongue. "I don't know how to respond to that."

"Then don't?" Genesis voice resumed its regular tone and he shrugged his shoulders, fingers scratching at the neck of the tiny kitten in his hands. "Just let it sink in that I think you plus a kitten equals absolutely adorable. Disturbing, but adorable."

"How can something be disturbing and adorable at the same time?" Sephiroth pulled mugs from his cupboard, preparing to make coffee.

"It's easy, look at me!" genesis snorted, as if he was shocked by the statement.

"That's not how I would describe you, but that's not the point." Sephiroth chuckled and set a pot of coffee on to brew, turning his attention to feeding Taylor as she let out a loud mewl of protest at Genesis' fondling. "Right now I need to figure out what to do with that thing."

"Keep it?" Genesis set Taylor on the floor, knowing well enough that the kitten was sick of his caress. "She likes you, you already paid for her vaccines, and you have everything you need to care for her. Why not keep her? Hell, you already named her!"  
"I couldn't just keep calling her cat, could I?" Sephiroth frowned and opened a can of cat food, plopping the smelly and gelatinous looking contents into a saucer.

"Yes, yes you could have." Genesis rolled his eyes and began digging through the purchases on the table. "Let's just get everything set up and then talk about it."

It took them an hour to properly guard the house against kitten related disaster. Each electrical cord now had a protective plastic shell and all curtains had been pulled high out of reach. There were scratching posts in two rooms and litter boxes in three. Sephiroth was determined to keep his floor shit free and his furniture pristine. Taylor watched the entire process at close range once she had finished eating, her tiny legs struggling to keep up with Sephiroth's long strides as she followed his heels like a baby duckling follows its mother.

They had no problems until Genesis put the cat bed, which was really just a glorified pillow that Sephiroth had found wretchedly overpriced, in Sephiroth's bedroom.

"She's not sleeping in here!" Sephiroth frowned, putting his foot down and starting the nearby kitten.

"Sephiroth, would you rather she be in here where you can watch her, or out there where you can't?" Genesis crossed his arms over his chest, apparently amused by Sephiroth's protests.

Sephiroth opened his mouth to retort, but was interrupted by tiny kitten claws piercing his pants as Taylor tried to climb him. He hissed and peeled her off, holding her by the scruff of her neck and shaking a finger in her small face. "No! That hurts! Bad, Taylor!"

Taylor licked his finger and mewled, not bothered by Sephiroth's harsh tone.

Genesis laughed.

The point was made and Sephiroth couldn't adequately argue against Genesis' logic, so the bed stayed in the corner of his room. They finished securing the home against Taylor's mischief and settled down to dinner. Sephiroth was forced to hold Taylor in his lap as he ate to prevent the incessant mewing from plaguing him again.

Genesis smiled and cut a piece of chicken from his plate, dangling the food in front of Taylor's face and earning a frown from Sephiroth as he fed the kitten, who seemed more than happy to be spoiled. "So, what did Reno think of your newest firecrotch?"

"Did you have to say it like that?" Sephiroth coughed, having nearly choked on his food at the statement. A flush painted his cheekbones and he glared at Genesis with embarrassment. "Honestly, Genesis!"

"Not an answer, Seph." Genesis chuckled, returning to his food. "What did Reno think?"

"I don't know. He didn't say anything." Sephiroth shrugged, scratching Taylor's ears as she mewed for attention, knowing he'd get a scratch if he didn't appease her. She was high maintenance that much was certain.

"Well, I'm sure you'll have time to hear his opinion on it when he meets her more formally." Genesis smirked and shot Sephiroth a sly look. "Make any plans for tutoring, yet?"

"No, Genesis, we only went on one date." Sephiroth rolled his eyes. Genesis was damned nosy when he felt like it. "It was one date; we have yet to make plans for another."

"You want another one though. Why not just ask him after class?" Genesis shrugged, offering Taylor more of his chicken. "That's how Angeal asked Zack and how I asked Cissnei."

"I bought the food for you, not Taylor! Stop feeding her, she already ate anyways!" Sephiroth looked at Taylor as she happily gnawed at the small chunk of meat Genesis had given her, unable to choke down a small smile that turned his lips as he watched her. She was cute, that was true, but he still didn't want her. He didn't have time or room or the excess income for a cat. In truth, he had all those things, but he kept telling himself that he didn't. Sephiroth turned his attention back to Genesis, smiling genuinely. "I can handle it, but thanks. I'll try and ask him after our meeting on Friday."

"I thought you didn't schedule any tutoring?" Genesis snorted, watching Sephiroth with mirth in his eyes.

"It isn't tutoring, he's applying for a scholarship and I'm assisting him. It's purely academic!" Sephiroth flushed, raising his voice unintentionally in protest.

"I think it's perfectly fine to pretend it's just a meeting." Genesis chuckled, taking his plate to the sink to rinse it clean. "Just don't be alarmed when you find a reason to take a very, very cold shower afterward."

"Genesis, stop worrying about my love life for about fifteen minutes, okay?" Sephiroth plucked Taylor from his lap and set her on his shoulder, making his way to the sink to clear his plate.

Taylor gripped his shirt and sat, not seeming to mind the position she was in.

"Now I'm worried because you're going to drop your cat." Genesis watched pensively as Sephiroth washed his plate, Taylor's balance not disturbed by his motions.

"She's fine, Gen." A smile broke Sephiroth's face as he felt Taylor purr, quickly wiping the expression from his face. He was not supposed to be enjoying the cat's presence, but he was finding her more tolerable as the night progressed. So long as she wasn't being loud, she was an acceptable excuse for a pet.

"Just don't kill the thing before you decide to keep her forever, alright?" Genesis made his way to the door, pulling on his shoes. "I've got to go, I've got papers to grade and so do you. Congrats on having the hardest assignment in the school, by the way. You're making me look like an easy A."

"It wouldn't be hard if the students focused more on getting the work done than they did on bitching about having to do the work." Sephiroth rolled his eyes, following Genesis to the door. "And no one questions how easy you are."  
"Ooh, is that a hypocritical and snide comment, I hear?" Genesis held a hand to his ear dramatically, a smirk on his face. "Or is someone forgetting that he's totally dating a student himself and should probably not be all judgmental on me because I did it first."

"I wasn't judging you for dating a student; I was judging you for sleeping with the ones you don't date." Sephiroth smirked, enjoying the friendly banter that was, for once, not going to end in anger and insults.

"Ooh, low blow." Genesis chuckled and opened the door, pulling his keys from his pocket. "Whatever, Seph. I'm gonna go, you have fun bonding with Taylor." Genesis reached a hand up and tickled Taylor's chin, hand retreating quickly as she responded with a vicious bite. He yelped and flipped the kitten the bird, stalking off to his car. "Your cat sucks!"

Sephiroth laughed and shut the door, listening to Taylor resume her purring. He liked her more and more every minute she was quiet, a dangerous thing for a man determined to give her away. A smile split his face as he walked to his living room, not stooping to baby talk as he addressed the kitten on his shoulder. "How about we go grade some papers, hmm?"

Taylor mewed agreeably, tiny tail twitching softly.

Reno tugged at his hair, groaning in distress as he stared at his homework. The work itself was not causing him problems, but the voice in the other room certainly was. Rodney had shown up and, from the sound of the conversation he was having with Rude and Zack, he wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. Reno sighed and tried to focus on his homework, but he knew the unwelcome visitor would be barging in soon to destroy his solitude.

As if on cue, Rodney entered the room with a grin on his face. Reno kept his eyes focused on his paper and frowned, picking his pencil back up. "Go away, Rodney, I'm busy."  
Like usual, Rodney didn't listen. Large hands grabbed Reno's shoulders and kneaded the muscles there, Rodney's grin widening. "Aww, someone's cranky and tense!"

Reno frowned and tried to pry Rodney's long fingers off of him. "Knock it off! I'm not kidding; I'm seriously busy!"

"I can see that." Rodney didn't let up on Reno's shoulders, leaning close to Reno and examining his paper curiously. "You got question three wrong."  
"What? No I didn't!" Reno frowned and looked at his paper, doing what he could to ignore the warm fingers sliding over his shoulders. "Do you have to molest me every time you see me?"

Rodney chuckled into Reno's ear and slid his hands down to grip Reno's arms, pulling him closer. "Yup."

Reno swore loudly as Rodney's wandering hands pressed into the large bruises on his upper arms, shooting out of his seat and twisting away from the brunette as pain flared in his arms. He glared at Rodney, holding his arms and trying to soothe the burning bruises. "Shit, Rodney! That fuckin' hurt!"

Rodney opened his mouth to respond, brown eyes wide with concern, when Rude scolded them both from the door, his deep voice thick with unspoken threats. "Watch your mouths. I've got a girl coming over. Behave."

Reno turned; eyes wide as he looked at Rude. "Whoa, you've got a chick comin' over? You're dating again?"

"I've been dating her for two months, Reno." Rude rolled his eyes. Sometimes Reno simply didn't listen. Zack didn't either. Rude lived in a house for the deaf, it seemed. "If you two scare her off tonight I swear I'll skin you alive." Rude crossed his arms over his chest, giving the pair a pointed glare.

Reno shivered. He hated when Rude glared at him like that. It made him feel like he was being x-rayed. "I'll behave, it's him you need to talk to! If he keeps touchin' me your girlfriend is gonna witness a murder." An accusing finger was pointed in Rodney's direction.

"Rodney, be nice to Reno. Reno, if you flip out on Rodney while Elena is still here you're gonna have a size thirteen shoe shoved right up your scrawny ass. She already knows Rodney, it's you and Zack who have to make a good impression tonight."

"Wait, you mean I gotta stay here?" Reno's face fell. "I wanted to go for a run after my homework was done!"

Rude sighed and stepped closer, his overly expressive eyes full of a guilt trip that played on Reno's heartstrings. "Please? Reno, you know I don't date a lot, and Zack already met her today. I like her and I really want her to meet you. She needs to know who my best friend is." Rude caught sight of Reno's homework, his knowledge of the redhead's body language letting him know that he had already won the argument. "You got question three wrong. You didn't substitute the right value for theta. You used the sine of thirty degrees when you should have used to cosine."

Reno felt his face grow hot as Rodney chortled behind him. He grabbed his paper and began erasing his work with a scowl. "Stuff it, Rodney!" He seethed as Rude and Rodney left him to his work, their chuckles escalating his embarrassment. He really hated math sometimes.

An hour later found them all in the living room, eating, drinking, and playing video games. Reno's discomfort at being forced to sit next to Rodney on the couch was alleviated by the beer he was drinking a little faster than he probably should have been. He kept his face straight, however, as he edged away from Rodney and tried to squeeze his body as far from Rodney as he could. It wasn't possible to get too far, however, because Rodney was scooting closer each time he moved away. Reno had never met Elena before, but as soon as he saw her he knew exactly why Rude was so particular about making a good impression on her.

Elena was petite, blonde, and bubbly, three things that the women Rude dated never seemed to be without. Rude definitely had a type and Elena was the poster-girl for it. Due to the lack of chairs Elena was sitting in Rude's lap, looking decidedly small in comparison to her flush-faced companion. Reno couldn't help but smile at Rude and give him a secret thumbs up when Elena left for a few moments to get herself another drink. Zack did the same and they both laughed conspiratorially at Rude's blush, causing Elena some confusion when she came back, two cans of cola in her hands. She and Rude were the only ones in the room not drinking beer.

"What's so funny?" Elena promptly sat in Rude's lap, allowing him to encircle her waist with his controller filled hands so he continue to destroy Zack and Reno in the game they were playing.

"Rude." Reno smiled, button mashing as hard as he could to try and save his character on the screen from yet another gruesome death at Rodney's hands.

"Don't break the controller, Red." Rodney snorted, easily outmaneuvering Reno's futile attempts to win. "Just let me pull your spine out and everything will be all better."  
Elena giggled as Reno barely escaped again, turning in Rude's lap to face him. "Awww, are they pickin' on you?" She giggled as Rude blushed and she turned again, plucked the controller from his hands. "Here, I'll get them for you."

Zack snorted, turning on Rude's character, who he had just been running from. "Hey, Reno, we might have a chance to win now!"

Elena responded to Zack's snide comment by blowing his character into beautifully rendered, high-definition bits. Rude's arms wrapped around her waist like a human seatbelt as she smirked at Zack triumphantly, brushing her hair behind her ears. "What was that, Zack? I couldn't hear you over the sound of your character's screams for mercy."  
Zack pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Dammit."

Reno blinked and looked at Rodney, raising an eyebrow. "Wanna stop beatin' my face into the ground for a minute so we can kill 'Lena?"

"Sure. Once she's dead I'll finish killing you." Rodney snickered and they both rounded on Elena's character, guns blazing.

Within a matter of minutes, Elena had killed them both. She hummed sweetly, cherry red lips evilly upturned as she pressed the controller back into Rude's hands and leaned against her living chair. "I got 'em for ya, Rude."

"That's my girl." Rude chuckled and kissed her cheek, eyes soft as he looked at her.

As they started a new game, Reno passing Elena his controller so she could play, Reno began to wonder just how long they had been dating. He couldn't remember Rude saying anything about her, but Reno hadn't really been asking Rude about his love life. Apparently, on some of the nights where Reno assumed Rude was hanging out with Rodney, Reno had assumed wrong. He had been so preoccupied with his own issues that he hadn't bothered checking up on his seemingly stable bald friend. Apparently Zack hadn't known about it before now either. He felt guilty for it, but he knew instinctively that Rude wasn't upset with him about it. As the game wound down, Reno sitting out most of the games because he really, really, sucked at shooter games, Reno watched the pair. They were good together, which made Reno smile, and they seemed so comfortable just being in each other's company.

Would he ever be that way with Sephiroth?  
The idea struck Reno as highly unlikely. As much as he might like Sephiroth and as much as the attraction might be mutual, Reno doubted that the fling would last long. He wasn't even sure why he was so unconfident with the relationship, Sephiroth wouldn't have gone out with him or kissed him if he didn't want to be with him, the man seemed more honorable than that, but Reno couldn't bring himself to raise his hopes high. It was for the best to keep his expectations low, but that didn't mean he wouldn't invest his efforts into creating the kind of close relationship that Elena and Rude had developed in a relatively short period of time.

* * *

**Author's Note: I wanted to write another scene to this, but Reno and Rodney wouldn't cooperate. At all. So I cut it out. I may insert it somewhere else later. I am so sorry this update took me so long! I know it's been almost a year and anyone who is still following this has been waiting for three years for me to get it done and I appreciate your patience! I'm just in a writing funk lately. So sorry!**


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